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Arsenal held talks to sign Atletico Madrid’s Marc Pubill

By on August 18, 2026

Arsenal have reportedly held talks over a deal to sign Atletico Madrid defender Marc Pubill, as per The Athletic.

After being impressed by the 23-year-old’s performances for Almería in La Liga 2, Los Rojiblancos decided to purchase him ahead of last season.

Although Pubill featured as a rotational option under Diego Simeone last campaign, he showed glimpses of his qualities, making two goal contributions and keeping eight clean sheets in 36 appearances across all competitions.

Having been impressed by his performances, Luis De La Fuente selected him in Spain’s World Cup squad, but he remained on the periphery throughout the competition.

Now, The Athletic report that Arsenal want a new defender before the September 1st transfer deadline day and have identified Aston Villa star Ezri Konsa as the primary target.

However, with the Englishman’s existing deal set to run until 2028, Aston Villa want around £60m to sell him and Arsenal are hoping to negotiate a lower price.

The Gunners have also been exploring alternative options and have earmarked Jarell Quansah and Pubill as serious options. Ideally, Arsenal want a versatile defender who can play in the right-back and centre-back positions.

Pubill to Arsenal

The report state that Arsenal held talks to enquire about the details of signing Pubill before the start of this summer transfer window. However, Los Rojiblancos are determined to keep hold of him, with his existing deal set to run until 2030.

Pubill is a 6ft 3in tall right-footed versatile defender. He is a centre-back by trait but can provide cover in the right-back position if needed.

He is quick, strong, good in the air, and comfortable playing out from the back. Moreover, he is efficient at threading passes between the lines, reads the game well, and is effective in defensive contributions.

The youngster is a talented player and possesses the necessary attributes to flourish in Mikel Arteta’s possession-based system. Therefore, he would be a shrewd acquisition for Arsenal should they purchase him.

However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his services before the end of this transfer window.