Xavi reveals he wanted Barcelona to sign Arsenal midfielder | OneFootball

Xavi Hernandez has revealed how the Barcelona board rejected his wish to sign Martin Zubimendi during his time in charge at the Camp Nou.

Zubimendi was Xavi’s preferred target to replace Sergio Busquets at the Camp Nou, following the latter’s exit for Inter Miami in 2023.

Zubimendi was a Real Sociedad player at that time and Xavi has revealed how the Catalans decided the midfielder was too expensive to pursue.

Barcelona instead brought in Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City as a free agent and signed Oriol Romeu from Girona for a fee of just €3.4m.

Zubimendi remained at Sociedad until last summer, when he joined Arsenal for a fee of around £51m. The 27-year-old has impressed in his debut season in North London, with Arsenal top of the Premier League and still in contention for four trophies.

The transfer decision represented a sliding doors moment for Xavi. He departed the club at the end of the 2023-24 season after a trophyless campaign.

Speaking to La Vanguardia, he has now revealed how Barcelona were unable to land his preferred transfer targets.

“I asked Barcelona management to sign Martin Zubimendi, they told me no,” he said.

“It was a financial decision, they signed a cheaper option. But we lost Busquets… and I said: but how’s possible [we can’t get Zubimendi]?”,

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