Arsenal star close to bombshell January exit after 'friction' with Mikel Arteta: report

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attends a team training session at the Arsenal training centre in London Colney — Mikel Arteta looks to be losing a big player (Image credit: Ben Stansall / AFP via Getty Images)

Arsenal are on the cusp of losing a major star this January.

The Gunners enjoyed a solid if not spectacular summer transfer window, bringing in Bruno Guimaraes, Ezri Konsa and Christos Tzolis to add quality and depth to a title-winning side.

But with competition fierce for places, it appears that one Arsenal player is set to leave to seek game time elsewhere.

Arsenal are flying at the top of the table - but not everyone is content

Declan Rice, Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori applaud the Arsenal fans after winning at Anfield. — Arsenal are top of the table (Image credit: Getty Images)

Mikel Arteta's side are top of the Premier League table, five points clear, unbeaten in the Champions League, and have only lost twice in all competitions this season.

But not everyone is happy with their role in N5, and now, RNE Deportes originally broke the news of a departure, with further updated relayed in a report by Sport Witness.

Martin Zubimendi is on the cusp of leaving for Atletico Madrid, as per Relevo, with his relationship with Arteta said to be “cold”, following “friction towards the end of last season”.

Another Spanish outlet, AS, adds that Arsenal need to sell, and would like to recoup the £50 million they spent on the Basque midfielder.

Zubimendi only moved to the Emirates Stadium in 2025, with the Gunners beating a host of rivals for his signature after a star turn in the Euro 2024 final.

The 27-year-old became an instant hit alongside Declan Rice in Arteta's engine room, providing the progression and anticipation that the side had missed in that area of the pitch, becoming almost ever-present in the first half of Arsenal's title-winning season.

But as the season neared the run-in, Zubimendi found himself dropped in favour of Hale Ender, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and didn't start the Champions League final – with Arsenal upgrading in the summer to sign Bruno Guimaraes.

Martin Zubimendi of Arsenal during the warm up before the Carabao Cup match against Ipswich — Martin Zubimendi is close to leaving (Image credit: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Zubimendi has not started a single league game in midfield for Arsenal this term, finding himself fourth in the pecking order in midfield.

FourFourTwo understands that Arsenal would rather not sell the World Cup winner this January and would prefer to wait until the summer to assess the situation further.

Zubimendi is worth €65m, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal travel away to Newcastle United when Premier League action resumes after the international break.

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Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.