According to reports from Spain, Liverpool may have been handed a massive incentive to go back in for one player that they tried to sign during the summer.
The Reds thought they were on course to land Martin Zubimendi in August, only for the midfielder to decide that he’d prefer to remain with Real Sociedad, who ultimately persuaded him to stay put in San Sebastian (Daily Mail).
However, three-and-a-half months on from that setback for the Anfield giants, there could now be another twist in the tale.
A report from Spanish outlet TDF has claimed that the 25-year-old has decided that he wants to leave the LaLiga club and regrets not taking the chance to move to the Premier League earlier this year, with Liverpool and Arsenal both maintaining an interest in him.
La Real have accepted that they’re powerless to prevent Zubimendi from leaving, given his apparent desire for a transfer, and are now seeking to recoup the €60m (£50m) value of his release clause with the intention of swiftly reinvesting it in a ‘top-level’ signing.
If these reports from Spain are true, then Liverpool appear to have a golden chance to swoop for the midfielder, with David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano both indicating recently that the Reds are still keen on him.
Although Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister have thrived as a central midfield partnership so far this season, Arne Slot might still be determined to land the Spaniard as the elite natural number 6 to complete his line-up, with Wataru Endo not being entrusted to start.
As per FBref, Zubimendi has a better tackle success rate this season (61.1%) than the Reds duo (52.6% for the Dutchman, 51.4% for the Argentine) and has averaged 3.7 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, marginally superior to the Anfield pair with 3.67 each.
Also, in what might seem paradoxical given that he’s the only natural defensive midfielder out of those three, the Spaniard has by far the best xG for the campaign with 1.6, compared to 0.6 for the former Ajax youngster and 0.3 for the 2022 World Cup winner.
Those figures would suggest that the La Real maestro could further enhance an already imperious Liverpool midfield, although Slot might be reluctant to break up the hitherto successful Gravenberch-Mac Allister axis.
Nonetheless, the Anfield hierarchy might feel that January is their time to strike, if indeed Zubimendi is determined to move on from his current club.
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