Mikel Arteta discarded him at Arsenal and now he’s a problem for Martin Zubimendi

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Martin Zubimendi has made a stunning start to life at Arsenal.

Signed from Real Sociedad in a £55.8m deal for his ability to orchestrate the midfield and keep Arsenal in control, the Spain international has surprisingly displayed a keen eye for goal as well.

Martin Zubimendi can boast two goals in six Premier League appearances so far, form which has earned him a nomination for the Player of the Month award, but he faces a serious threat from a player Mikel Arteta offloaded in Granit Xhaka.

Granit Xhaka shows Mikel Arteta he still has plenty to offer

Arsenal sold the Switzerland international to Bayer Leverkusen for £21.4m back in July 2023 – following a tough period in N5 for the man from Basel where even his own fans booed him.

It very much felt like that was the last we would see of Xhaka in England, having made the move to Germany at the age of 30.

However, the Swiss star is now back shining in the Premier League once again with Sunderland, where he is arguably the greatest rival Zubimendi has in the fight for the Player of the Month award, along with the prolific Erling Haaland.

Xhaka – now aged 33 – is proof that sometimes, a player just needs a fresh challenge to show they can still handle football at the highest level.

The imperious Robin Roefs has also been nominated, proving that Sunderland enjoyed a tremendous summer of recruitment with two new signings on the shortlist.

What Mikel Arteta said when Granit Xhaka was sold

Despite a turbulent time in north London for Xhaka, he left with the best wishes of key figures at the Emirates Stadium.

When the midfield maestro moved to Germany, Arteta said: “We are saying goodbye to a fantastic player and person loved by all of us. It has been an incredible journey together for him and he has given absolutely everything for this club.

“The influence Granit has had on his teammates on the pitch and colleagues at the club, will tell you just how popular he is. We cannot thank Granit enough for his service and contribution to this club over the years.

“We wish Granit and his family all the best in the next step of their lives.”

This “influence” Arteta speaks of has been highly apparent on Wearside, with Regis Le Bris immediately making Xhaka – who has impressed Kevin Phillips – his captain at Sunderland.

The Sunderland No.34 has since racked up three assists in six appearances to help the Black Cats sit fifth in the Premier League, proving he still possesses an immense amount of quality.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LiverpoolLiverpool	6	5	0	1	12	7	5	15
2	ArsenalArsenal	6	4	1	1	12	3	9	13
3	Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace	6	3	3	0	8	3	5	12
4	TottenhamTottenham	6	3	2	1	11	4	7	11
5	SunderlandSunderland	6	3	2	1	7	4	3	11