Martin Zubimendi was the one that got away for Liverpool in 2024, but will this be the year that the Reds finally snap up the Spanish midfielder?
Last August, the Reds were on the cusp of signing the 25-year-old, only for him to back out of the move in favour of remaining with Real Sociedad (Daily Mail).
However, he recently hinted that he might still be open to the possibility of transferring to the Premier League leaders if the opportunity were to arise again, and The Athletic‘s David Ornstein claimed there’s a widely-held belief that the Spain international ‘will depart’ his current club in 2025.
Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has now weighed in with his latest information on Zubimendi when speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Euro Leagues, backing up recent assertions that the midfielder is ready to move on from La Real.
The journalist outlined: “I was told everything was done with Liverpool but he decided personally not to leave. Now three months into the season he is ready to go. When Manchester City want a replacement for Rodri, that is the guy to look for. Barcelona would like him but don’t have the money and he is ready to leave now.
“He is not the strongest or fastest but he reads the game so well and leads the team. He understands the role perfectly.
“I don’t think Liverpool will go back, although Zubimendi is a different level to Ryan Gravenberch. I know Man City like him a lot. And teams with €60m? He can only go to the Premier League. Chelsea don’t need him; Manchester United maybe?”
Balague has been quite vociferous about the levels of the Spaniard, proclaiming him to be ‘the best holding midfielder in the world’ after Rodri and comparing him favourably to Gravenberch, whose own performances this season ensured that Liverpool fans could quickly get over the disappointment of missing out on Zubimendi.
Arne Slot is blessed with quality in the middle of the park, with the former Ajax youngster accompanied by Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo, Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai and Harvey Elliott, so competition for a starting berth is already very strong.
The Euro 2024 winner ranks highly for defensive metrics such as clearances made (1.7) and aerial duels won (2.5) per game over the past 12 months compared to positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues (FBref), but his pass completion rate of 85.3% is surprisingly low for a midfielder whose national team are renowned for treasuring possession of the ball.
Whilst Liverpool’s need for Zubimendi seems significantly lesser now than six months ago, Balague’s mentioning of the two Manchester clubs as viable destinations for him may have Reds supporters fearing that one of our biggest rivals could snap him up instead.
That’d obviously be a bitter pill to swallow for LFC fans, but solace could be taken in the knowledge that Slot already boasts a formidable midfield which is the envy of almost every club in the Premier League and Europe.
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