Not only was Martin Zubimendi's Arsenal transfer several years in the making - it was also engineered by one of Mikel Arteta's former Gunners team-mates.

Three-time FA Cup winner Nacho Monreal shared the Real Sociedad dressing room with the technically-gifted 26-year-old maestro and immediately knew he had all the tools to prove an instant hit in the Premier League.

So much so, he contacted Arteta and encouraged him to beat the rush to Zubimendi signature.

Monreal, speaking via BetMGM ahead of the North London Derby, said: "Yes, I spoke with him [Arteta] and with the club in general a long time ago.

"I said to them: 'You need to look at Martin Zubimendi,' because for me, when I arrived at Real Sociedad, Mikel Merino, for example, had already played for Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund.

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"He was already a good player, but Martin had come from the academy and had started from zero.

"Even from the beginning and from the first moment, you could see something different, you know, something special.

"You see this guy, he's 20 or 21 years old and he performs like he was already playing for 10 years.

"He had something different and in my opinion, it's been a really, really good transfer.

"Yes they paid a lot for him but he deserved it. He's still young and he's going to stay for the next six, seven, eight years, at his top level. It was a good move for Arsenal, and for Martin, of course."

Monreal, now working as a football agent for Global Ases, spent three seasons with £55million Gunners starlet Zubimendi in the Basque Country before retiring in 2022.

However, he never felt the need to step in and sell the Euro 2024 winner the Arsenal project as Arteta already had things under control.

The former left-back said: "Well, we didn't speak exactly about Arsenal but the truth is, Liverpool were in for him and he told me he was not ready to leave Real Sociedad.

"But this year, when he got the offer from Arsenal, he knew that it was the right moment, and it was the right place to go.

"I know Mikel called him and Mikel is really, really good when he calls a player, he tells the player exactly what they want to hear.

"He's very, very clever but Arsenal really needed this kind of player."

It also gives Monreal great personal joy to see three senior Spain internationals playing key roles in Arsenal's Premier League title charge.

He added on Merino and ever-improving shot-stopper David Raya: "Merino is playing so well, scoring a lot of goals.

"He didn't score this much when he was at Sociedad but now at Arsenal he's playing different roles and always giving 100 per cent, helping the team and always smiling.

"Raya has also been unbelievable, making a lot of saves, he's been an amazing signing."

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