In a shocking turn of events, Real Madrid has reportedly abandoned their pursuit of a highly-coveted 26-year-old star, paving the way for Arsenal to finalize a deal that could sting Liverpool significantly.

Real Madrid is steeped in turmoil this season, suffering heartbreaking defeats to Barcelona in both the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey finals. They currently lag behind their arch-rivals in LaLiga by four points with just four matches left to play.

This dismal form has translated into mixed results on the European front as well, with Arsenal dismantling Los Blancos 5-1 on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-finals.

With pressure mounting, manager Carlo Ancelotti faces the axe as Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso emerges as the frontrunner for the managerial position. However, the turnover may not end there, as changes loom on the playing side too.

In an intriguing twist, Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed he will be leaving Liverpool, and Real Madrid is keen to secure the right-back's talents before the Club World Cup kicks off on June 14. A nominal transfer fee is expected to be paid to facilitate this move, as his contract runs until the end of June.

Meanwhile, there’s a pressing need at Real Madrid for a creative central midfielder to join the dynamic trio of Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Federico Valverde.

Arsenal has set their sights on Martin Zubimendi, a player Liverpool initially targeted last summer as the ideal reinforcement for their midfield. Although Zubimendi chose to stay with Real Sociedad at that time, reports have surfaced that Arsenal is primed to trigger his €60 million release clause this summer.

According to renowned sports reporter David Ornstein, Arsenal officials are operating under the assumption that Zubimendi's transfer is nearly finalized.

Despite lingering fears of a potential hijack by Real Madrid—who reportedly admire Zubimendi's calm demeanor and quality on the pitch—it's been affirmed that they will not pursue him, clearing the path for Arsenal to finalize their acquisition.

This development is particularly painful for Liverpool, who had earmarked Zubimendi as a crucial addition just one year ago. Losing him to their closest title rival would be a major setback.

Although Liverpool’s coaching staff have managed to adapt by converting Ryan Gravenberch into a competent holding midfielder—helping propel them to title success this season—the recent 3-1 defeat to Chelsea exposed the glaring need for greater depth in midfield.

Having Zubimendi available to complement the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Gravenberch would have significantly bolstered their lineup, making his imminent move to Arsenal all the more distressing for Liverpool.

As the transfer market heats up, the stakes are higher than ever, and all eyes will be on Zubimendi as his journey to Arsenal takes shape.