"'Very impressive": Mikel Arteta now praises £62m Arsenal star for "unquestionable" impact, will be starting vs Spurs

Arsenal take on north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday.

Ahead of the game, manager Mikel Arteta was asked plenty of questions in his pre-match presser.

One of those was focused on Martin Zubimendi. He was asked how he rates the Spain international compared to some of the world’s best midfielders.

In response, Arteta said that it would be unfair to compare midfielders, but added that Zubimendi’s impact on the team is ‘unquestionable’ and he has been ‘very impressive’.

He said: “Well my players are the best. To compare him with other players, I don’t think it’s fair, I think each player has his own qualities.

“I think the impact of Zubi on the team is unquestionable. I think what he’s doing and doing it so early in his career here, it’s very, very impressive and that’s what we need.

“Players at that level, playing that consistently and helping the team, he’s going to be very positive for the team and the results of the team.”

Zubimendi signed for the Gunners from Real Sociedad after several months of speculation last summer. There were claims that Real Madrid could attempt to hijack the deal.

The 26-year-old has since been a revelation for Arsenal. He has completed 89 percent of his passes in the league with an average of four duels and two tackles won per game.

The Spaniard has also made three recoveries and two clearances per outing. His arrival has provided the Gunners with a calming influence in midfield alongside Declan Rice.

The £62 million-rated star has started in every league game barring one against West Ham United, where he was introduced at the 30th-minute mark for the injured Martin Odegaard.

Zubimendi is pretty much guaranteed to start in the number six role versus Spurs on Sunday. He will have a huge role in controlling proceedings and winning the midfield battle.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

The post "'Very impressive": Mikel Arteta now praises £62m Arsenal star for "unquestionable" impact, will be starting vs Spurs first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.