Trent Alexander-Arnold pays tribute to ‘amazing man' Diogo Jota
Alexander-Arnold is currently at the Club World Cup in the United States with new side Real Madrid having left Anfield at the end of their title-winning 2024-25 season.
Speaking after Real's quarter-final victory over Borussia Dortmund in New York on Saturday, Alexander-Arnold told DAZN: 'Some things are bigger than the game.
'It has been difficult but it's been very emotional, very heart-warming to see the footballing world uniting and come together to show their love and support to him and his family, and obviously his brother as well.
'So although it's been difficult, it's also been a nice showing out from everyone, all clubs, all people, uniting and showing love and support for what must be a mind-blowingly hard time for the family.
'I've been in and around him and his brother, his family, his amazing wife, his parents, his amazing three children.
Alexander-Arnold says the memory of his close friend Jota will live on (Peter Byrne/PA)
'It's truly, truly heartbreaking to wake up to news like that. It's something that you would never, ever expect.
'He was a very close friend, someone who lit up a room when he was in it. I shared the dressing room (with him) for five years (and have) amazing memories on and off the pitch with him.
'It goes without saying he will never be forgotten by anyone. He will live long in all our memories for the amazing man and player he was.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
8 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Arsenal sign £50m-plus Martín Zubimendi after seeing off Real Madrid interest
Arsenal have confirmed the arrival of Martín Zubimendi from Real Sociedad on a five-year contract. The Spain international, who turned down Liverpool last summer, was heavily linked with Real Madrid in recent weeks despite being understood in March to have a pre-agreement to join Arsenal. With Mikel Arteta having made the 26-year-old his primary midfield target as Arsenal attempt to bridge the gap after three successive runners-up finishes in the Premier League, Zubimendi's signing represents a major boost after the departures of Jorginho and Thomas Partey at the end of their contacts last week. Partey was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault – allegations he denies – three days after leaving. Arsenal are believed to have been searching for midfield replacements since last summer, with Zubimendi emerging as their preferred option thanks to his impressive displays for Real Sociedad and Spain. Their attempts to sign him last summer alongside Mikel Merino – who left Real Sociedad for about £32m – are understood to have been rejected because the Spanish side did not want to lose both players in the same transfer window. Arsenal were able to secure a pre-agreement in March after continuing talks. The fee is believed to be slightly more than his release clause of £51m after they fought off late interest from Madrid, whose new manager, Xabi Alonso, coached Zubimendi for Real Sociedad's B side. 'Once I made the decision to leave, I set my sights on Arsenal because I think their style of play is a good fit for me,' Zubimendi told Arsenal's website. 'It's a young, highly motivated and ambitious team. They have shown their potential recently, and I believe the best is yet to come.' Brentford's Christian Nørgaard is also expected to complete his move to Arsenal after the clubs agreed a deal worth up to £15m, and Arsenal are understood to have discussed personal terms with Chelsea's Noni Madueke and are weighing up whether to bid for the England international. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Arteta said of Zubimendi: 'Martín is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team. He will fit in really well and he has all the attributes to be a key player for us. The standard he has consistently performed at over the last few seasons for both club and country is exactly why we are so excited to have him with us. We all welcome Martin and his family to the club.'
South Wales Guardian
11 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Arsenal sign Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi
The Spain international, 26, moves to the Emirates Stadium on a long-term deal after the Gunners reportedly triggered his £51million release clause. Euro 2024 winner Zubimendi had previously been a target for Liverpool and was also linked with Real Madrid. Zubimendi told the club website: 'This is a huge moment in my career. It's the move I was looking for and one I wanted to make. As soon as you set foot here, you realise how big this club and this team are. 'I set my sights on Arsenal because their style of play is a good fit for me. They have shown their potential recently and the best is yet to come.'
Telegraph
15 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Martin Zubimendi signs for Arsenal and here is why
At half-time of last year's European Championship final against England, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente had a simple message for his players. 'Let's be ourselves,' he told his team, in a speech filmed by Amazon's documentary-makers. 'We have to take it easy. Keep calm. Just do your thing.' Of perhaps all the Spanish players, Martin Zubimendi had the most reason to panic. He had watched most of the tournament from the bench, playing a total of just 95 minutes before the final, and he was now being thrown into the heart of midfield following an injury to Rodri. It was the biggest moment of his career. But, as it turned out, it was arguably Zubimendi who best followed De la Fuente's instructions. The Basque native kept calm, just as his coach demanded, and did his thing. What followed was a midfield masterclass, full of probing passes and well-timed tackles, as he helped Spain to a 2-1 victory over Gareth Southgate's side in Berlin. The performance provided further proof that Zubimendi is a midfielder capable of operating at the highest level, under the most intense pressure. Liverpool had seen enough, and soon made their move. A few weeks after that final in Germany, it seemed certain that he would be swapping Real Sociedad for Anfield in a deal worth around £50 million. But just as the transfer was materialising, Zubimendi backed away – much to Liverpool's disappointment. 'I weighed the pros and cons and concluded that the best option was to stay,' he later said. 'There were many reasons for my decision, but I was selfish and thought about what was best for me.' It is a question that many have asked over the past year: what made Zubimendi reject Liverpool? Telegraph Sport can now reveal the reason why. Around the time he was strongly considering the offer from Liverpool, Zubimendi was also presented with an alternative opportunity: Arsenal. According to sources in Spain, Arsenal made it clear to Sociedad last summer that they wanted to sign two of their midfielders. The north Londoners were keen for Mikel Merino to join immediately and then for Zubimendi to come a year later, in the summer of 2025. It made for an extraordinary situation. This was effectively a hugely ambitious package deal for two high-class Spain internationals, at the cost of more than £80 million (Merino cost around £30 million, while Zubimendi has cost more than £50 million). The move was led by Edu Gaspar and Jason Ayto, Arsenal's then-sporting director and assistant sporting director, and the pursuit of Zubimendi has ultimately proved to be a remarkable triumph of relationship-building and long-term planning. Here is an elite-level midfielder, snatched away from a Premier League rival, and a deal that was almost a year in the making. Crucially from a financial perspective, the long-term nature of the pursuit has allowed Arsenal to structure the deal more favourably, rather than triggering the 26-year-old's release clause with a single payment. Why were Sociedad so willing to engage in such an unusual negotiation? In large part, because they wanted to avoid losing both Merino and Zubimendi in the same summer. The departure of both players would have forced them into a near-complete rebuild of their midfield. For Zubimendi, too, it made sense to stay in San Sebastián for one more season, rather than move to Liverpool straight after the European Championship. It also surely contributed to his thinking last summer that Arne Slot had only just taken over from Jürgen Klopp. At the time, it was fair to wonder how awkward the transition from Klopp to Slot might be. From Arsenal's side, there was no need to recruit a new defensive midfielder last year. With Jorginho, Thomas Partey and Declan Rice in Mikel Arteta's squad, they had the required quality and depth in that position. But they knew that Jorginho and Partey's deals both expired in 2025, and that change would soon be required in this crucial area of the team. Arsenal's executives might one day claim the transfer was never in doubt after they convinced Zubimendi to wait a year for them, but it was not truly a done deal until March. Indeed, there were moments during the season when it seemed like Arsenal's elaborate plan might just come under threat. The serious knee injury to Manchester City's Rodri, for example, raised expectations in some quarters that Pep Guardiola might target Zubimendi in January. There was also a constant sense that Xabi Alonso, Zubimendi's idol and former coach with the Sociedad B team, might be appointed at Real Madrid and target the Spain international. It would have been hard for Sociedad and Zubimendi to say no to such a proposal. Arsenal had moved so decisively and so early, though, that they were able to remain in control of the situation. First with Edu leading the way, before his departure from Arsenal in November, and then with Ayto, who subsequently helmed Arsenal's recruitment efforts. The relationship between Arsenal, Sociedad and the player remained strong. The transfer was finally announced on Sunday but it was effectively completed months ago, prior to the arrival of new sporting director Andrea Berta. When Real attempted to make a move in June, there were therefore no concerns or doubts in north London. The deal was done. The prospect of working with Arteta was another significant factor in Zubimendi's decision. Not only are the two men from the same city, but they also both played for the same amateur club, Antiguoko, as kids. Club sources say the two men formed an instant connection. Zubimendi's game is based on intelligent movement and thinking one step ahead. It is perhaps no surprise, then, that he is also an impressive chess player. As a boy, he once won the under-12 chess championship in the Spanish province of Gipuzkoa. Martin Zubimendi campeón de Gipuzkoa alevín de ajedrez (2011) #realsociedad — RSF_ClassicPics (@RSF_ClassicPics) June 8, 2021 His challenge now is to adapt to a new club, for the first time in his professional life, and a new league. To routinely demonstrate the same technical ability and mental clarity he showed for Spain in their victory over England. And to justify not only the investment by Arsenal, but also the extraordinary, year-long recruitment operation that ultimately brought him to England.
