Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has decided that Martin Zubimendi can leave the Gunners to join Real Madrid, according to reports.

The Gunners beat Everton 2-0 over the weekend to go level on points with Premier League leaders Manchester City, who lost 2-1 to Aston Villa in the early kick-off on Saturday.

Arsenal won their first Premier League title in 22 years last season with Arteta building a squad over several seasons to eventually win the top prize in English football.

Zubimendi was a crucial starter in Arteta’s Arsenal side which won the Premier League and reached the final of the Champions League, where they lost to Paris Saint-Germain in a penalty shoot-out, last term.

Ahead of the new season, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher predicted that Zubimendi would struggle to get his place in the team back after the signing of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United.

Carragher said on the Football Ramble podcast: “Do you think it’s the end for Zubimendi there?

“In terms of being what he was supposed to be when he was brought in. He was supposed to come in and be this controller. I don’t see him ever getting that place back now.”

Carragher’s prediction has come true so far with Zubimendi being restricted to substitute appearances in the Premier League.

Confirming Zubimendi’s fitness ahead of the Everton game and what he expects from the Spaniard, Arteta said: “[Zubimendi] had a few [opportunities], then he had the injury and it’s true that he had one game where he was almost fully available to play some minutes.

“From now, he needs to earn the right to play, but he’s been exceptional, whatever the role that he had to assume, and I expect that from every player, and he’s a player that deserves more minutes at the moment.”

The Spain international was given another ten minutes of Premier League action against Everton and now there are rumours he could leave for Real Madrid as soon as possible.

In another update from Spain (as cited by Football365), Arteta ‘opens the door’ for Zubimendi to leave Arsenal with Real Madrid ‘back in the running as a possible destination for a player who needs to regain consistency and a more prominent role in midfield’.

The report added: ‘Real Madrid is among the clubs linked with the midfielder as his future is being reviewed. In this regard, the player could consider a winter transfer if his situation doesn’t improve, with both Real Madrid and Chelsea monitoring the situation and exploring options to lure him away from the Emirates. The player would be looking for a destination where he can compete for more prominent roles, although the market interest has yet to materialize into a concrete offer.

‘Thus, Arteta leaves room for the issue to be reopened with his sporting decisions. If Zubimendi continues to only come on as a late substitute, he will have grounds to explore other options. The next step would fall to his representatives and Arsenal: to review the available offers and decide if any offer allows for a satisfactory outcome for all parties.’