Mikel Arteta sends Arsenal star message amid Bruno Guimaraes challenge | OneFootball

Last summer’s arrival could face challenge for minutes this term

Mikel Arteta has launched a staunch defence of Martin Zubimendi, insisting Arsenal would not have had the same success last season without him.

Zubimendi was almost an ever-present for the majority of the campaign, making an immediate impact after signing from Real Sociedad last month.

The 27-year-old scored five Premier League goals, making it the best season in front of goal of his career, and formed a superb midfield partnership with Declan Rice.

However, in his first season in England, the Spaniard visibly tired as his form dropped in the run-in.

Myles Lewis-Skelly came into the midfield in May to replace him and he got the nod over Zubimendi to start in the Champions League.

Ahead of the new season, which begins for Arsenal on Friday night at home to Coventry, Arteta was keen to point out how significant a role Zubimendi played for the Gunners in their title-winning campaign.

"Zubi without a doubt was one of the best players for Arsenal last season," Arteta said.

"Without him we would never get into the position that we got in the last few weeks and he deserves massive credit. He deserves some credit from all of us, all the coaches, myself and especially his team-mates.

"We know that without him we would never reach the level and the way that we competed throughout 10 months. At the end, yeah, he didn't play that much. He still played some important minutes but he didn't play that much.

"But no one can neglect the importance of what we did and how important he is for us. So that's something that's important to comment because a lot of people end with the taste, 'No, but this player played in the Champions League final'.

"This guy did it for 10 months. Otherwise we weren't here and we wouldn't be playing in those finals. I think he deserves a lot of credit for that."

Zubimendi made 57 appearances in all competitions, by far the most he has played in a season in his career.

He now faces a battle to get in the Arsenal starting lineup this season following the £75million arrival of Bruno Guimaraes.

Lewis-Skelly has also won the trust of Arteta in midfield and Mikel Merino is fit again, after missing most of the second half of last season with injury.

Arteta has backed Zubimendi to rise to the challenge of that competition and ensure he is ready to last the course of the season this time.

Fresh face: Martin Zubimendi

Getty

"He's an extremely honest and straight guy," the Gunners boss said.

"He's so demanding of himself that sometimes it can be even too much. But he knows that and he knew that we were going to add and increase the quality of the squad. Because it has to happen in every position and we cannot not do what we did.

"When he got to the last stage of his season, he already played 55 games. We cannot have that again at this level.

"He recognises that. Now it's going to be, 'Okay, how am I going to raise the level to be able to do what I did last year but for 11 months?' That's it."

There have been suggestions that Real Madrid could make a move for Zubimendi this summer after missing out on Rodri, but Arteta played down the possibility of the midfielder leaving.

"He's a really important player for us," he said.