Former FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernández has revealed that he asked the club’s hierarchy to sign midfielder Martín Zubimendi during the player’s time at Real Sociedad, but the request was rejected due to financial considerations.
The revelation was shared in comments reported by transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano on his official X handle. Speaking to La Vanguardia, Xavi explained that Barcelona chose not to pursue the Spain international despite the club needing a replacement for long-time midfielder Sergio Busquets.
Romano post:
Xavi: “I asked Barcelona management to sign Martin Zubimendi, they told me NO”. “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]?”, told La Vanguardia.
According to Xavi, the Barcelona board ultimately refused to proceed with the transfer despite the player being identified as a perfect successor to Busquets in the defensive midfield role.
Softfootball gathered that Zubimendi was still playing for Real Sociedad when Xavi pushed for the move, believing the Spaniard possessed the positional intelligence and technical quality required to anchor Barcelona’s midfield after Busquets’ departure.
However, Barcelona’s financial restrictions at the time reportedly prevented the deal from advancing. The club instead looked at more affordable alternatives as they attempted to manage strict spending limits.
Zubimendi eventually left Real Sociedad in 2025 to join Arsenal, where he has quickly become an important player under manager Mikel Arteta. His composure on the ball, tactical awareness and ability to control the tempo of matches have made him a key figure in Arsenal’s midfield setup.
Xavi’s comments come shortly after he also claimed that Barcelona president Joan Laporta was responsible for blocking the return of Lionel Messi to the club in 2023. According to Xavi, Messi’s return to Camp Nou after Argentina’s World Cup triumph had already been agreed in principle before Laporta halted the deal.
Messi had originally left Barcelona in 2021 following the collapse of contract negotiations and later joined Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Inter Miami CF in 2023.
