Liverpool’s midfield was screaming out for a deeper lying player’s signing in the summer. It looked as though Martin Zubimendi would arrive from Real Sociedad but in a fresh turn of events, he decided to reject the Reds to stay in San Sebastian.
The team’s recent results have now made the absence of a number six felt with Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch holding the fort to good effect in a double pivot. However, the duo could be overworked in the latter parts of the season when the calendar gets busier than it is now.
It was previously reported that the club would attempt Zubimendi’s signing in the winter but Fabrizio Romano has revealed (via TEAMTalk) that he has ‘no idea’ if there is any truth in the news but insists that Liverpool see him as the ‘perfect’ player for their midfield.
The transfer insider said:
“I have no idea at this moment; it’s too early. At the moment Liverpool are not even commenting on this, but what I’m sure about is that Liverpool didn’t want to negotiate for any other number 6 this summer because they believe that the perfect player for this position was Martin Zubimendi.”
A winter transfer for Zubimendi is unlikely
Martin Zubimendi’s rejection of Liverpool was also emotionally driven given that he has spent all of his career so far on Real Sociedad’s books. In the past, he has even turned down transfers to the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Given that he has pledged loyalty to La Real, it is unexpected that he would leave them shorthanded midway through the season to pursue a transfer which he ideally could have some time prior itself.
Real Sociedad also would not be open to selling him as he is arguably their best player and will have an even bigger role to play in Imanol Alguacil’s midfield following Mikel Merino’s departure to Arsenal.
Zubimendi’s contract extension is also a prospect that remains on the cards, in which case, Liverpool may be forced to consider alternatives to the Spaniard despite regarding him as the ‘perfect player’.
