Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi has finally ended speculation about his future by rejecting a move to Liverpool. He is now set to sign a new contract with his boyhood club and prolong his stay in La Liga.
With their primary midfield target going out of reach, what’s the plan now for Liverpool? Will their sporting director Richard Hughes shift focus to alternatives? Or, the Reds are willing to find an internal solution to their midfield problem?
Liverpool’s Zubimendi Contingency Plan
Times reporter Paul Joyce suggests the club are ready to pull the plug on their search for a new defensive midfielder this summer. That means, the club’s new manager, Arne Slot, wishes to make the best use of the midfield options he already has at his disposal.
According to Joyce, Slot had earmarked the 25-year-old for a pivotal role. The highly technical midfielder, adept at resisting pressure, was seen as the ideal deep-lying playmaker. Slot saw him as the linchpin who can dictate the tempo of the Reds’ game.
After Liverpool missed out on him, Slot did not show interest in backup options.
Liverpool’s desperate search for a defensive midfielder has been a well-documented saga. The club have regularly identified players like Aurelien Tchouameni, Moises Caicedo, and Romeo Lavia during Jurgen Klopp’s tenure as their transfer targets, which reveals the club’s eagerness to bolster their midfield.
Given the urgency of the situation, it was widely expected that the Reds would immediately pivot to alternative options following the Zubimendi setback. However, it appears that such a contingency plan may not be in place. This comes as somewhat of a surprise.
Joyce reports that the club adopted an all-or-nothing approach to the defensive midfield position this summer. That means, Martin Zubimendi was the only midfielder they wanted to bring in.
“It is unlikely at this stage that Liverpool will switch their attention to an alternative midfield target, with Zubimendi having been pursued because he suited a specific profile of No6 for Slot’s squad.”
The club sees Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones as potential midfield partners for Alexis Mac Allister. Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also options in that position. Interestingly, Wataru Endo, who joined the club last year, is not favoured for the defensive midfield role by the new manager.
Why Zubimendi Stayed at Sociedad
Fabrizio Romano says, Zubimendi had a conversation with Hughes and told him that he would like to continue playing at Real Sociedad. He had seriously considered the Liverpool offer, but chose to stay at his chldhood club instead.
The new Sociedad contract he penned is not financially as lucrative as the offer Liverpool put on the table. Regardless, it was not enough to convince him to leave the sunny shores of Donostia-San Sebastian.
Reports indicated that Real Sociedad informed Zubimendi he would have to pay his own ÂŁ51 million release clause if he wished to leave the club. This was clearly an undesirable option for the midfielder, who has been at the club since the age of 12.
