Real Madrid's Midfield Dilemma: The Case for Martín Zubimendi
Real Madrid are living with a decision that will not go away. They passed on Rodri. Now every big game reminds them why that was a mistake.
Against Inter Milan, the gap in their midfield screamed from the pitch. José Mourinho’s side could not control the tempo, could not suffocate the game, could not do what Barcelona routinely do with Rodri at the heart of things. Madrid ran, they countered, they broke forward at speed. But they never truly dictated.
Sport highlighted the problem bluntly: this Madrid leans on chaos. Quick transitions, long runs, and the individual brilliance of Vinícius, Mbappé and Bellingham are the main plan. Win it, break fast, finish. It is thrilling when it works.
It is brutal when it doesn’t.
Opponents are beginning to read it. They win the ball back, they recycle it with calm, and they turn Madrid’s broken attacks into their own chances. Against Inter, Thibaut Courtois had to step in as the real organiser, saving his team from a heavier defeat with a string of interventions. All of this because, when they had the chance, Madrid did not do everything possible to bring in Rodri.
Instead, the club looked towards a different profile. They preferred Bernardo Silva, a more attack-minded option and one Barcelona had already turned down. The choice left Mourinho with a midfield built on Tchouaméni, Valverde and Camavinga to start moves and build structure. All three are elite players. None of them, though, offer the control, positioning and passing range that Rodri brings.
So Madrid’s attacks still feel unfinished. The build-up looks improvised, the creation of chances dependent on moments rather than patterns. Arda Güler has been mentioned as a possible internal solution, even Trent Alexander-Arnold as a makeshift playmaker from deeper areas. Both ideas hint at improvisation. None of them truly answer the question that Rodri would have solved.
That is why the club has already turned its eyes to January.
Winter Market Target: Zubimendi Back on the Radar
Inside the Bernabéu offices, one name has returned to the top of the list: Martín Zubimendi. Real Madrid chased him in the summer. They may find a clearer path to him in the winter.
The context in England helps. At Arsenal, Zubimendi’s role has shrunk. He has started all five of the Gunners’ official matches this season on the bench. That is not a blip; it is a trend.
The clearest message came in the Champions League clash with Napoli at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. A high-level game, perfect for a controlling midfielder. Zubimendi spent almost all of it watching. Mikel Arteta only sent him on for the final eight minutes.
His struggle for minutes did not begin this season either. Go back to the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. Another huge stage, another long wait. Zubimendi did not play in the regulation 90 minutes and only came on in extra time.
When he plays, he delivers. That has been the constant throughout his career. Even so, Arteta continues to favour other options in his position. Over time, that hierarchy can start to weigh on a player, especially one who left Real Sociedad with the promise of becoming a central piece in a project.
Madrid, watching from afar, have not forgotten what he can do. His performances for Spain have only sharpened their interest. When Rodri suffered a serious injury, Zubimendi stepped in and ran the national team’s midfield. He did it with authority.
He did it when it mattered most. The second half of the Euro 2024 final, extra time in the 2026 World Cup final – those are the kind of stages that define careers and convince big clubs. Zubimendi handled them.
Arsenal paid 70 million euros to sign him last season and tied him down until 2030. That fee sets the bar. His current market value should sit in a similar bracket, a number that would allow Arsenal to recover their investment. For Madrid, it is not a minor sum, but it is not a figure that scares them either, especially for a player they see as a long-term anchor in midfield.
The Competition for His Signature
Madrid will not be alone in this race. Zubimendi will have options.
Chelsea are already circling under Xabi Alonso. The Basque coach knows the player well and pushed for him when he was a candidate for the Real Madrid job. Back then, Florentino Pérez chose not to move. The club went in a different direction, trusting that their existing core and attacking additions would be enough.
Now the picture looks different. The lack of a true controller has been exposed on the biggest stages. The team’s structure, especially against high-level opposition, depends too much on individuals saving situations rather than a system protecting them.
So the question hangs over the Bernabéu: after passing on Rodri, can Real Madrid afford to let Martín Zubimendi slip away as well?
