Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi was a player Liverpool were serious about acquiring during the summer transfer window.
Although a release clause was agreed and the decision was left to the player, the Spanish midfielder squandered his chance to move to England by pledging his loyalty to the club he grew up with from the academy.
Real Sociedad have had a very poor season while Liverpool are still said to be interested in the player, and reports are circulating that the 25-year-old defensive midfielder is already regretting staying, but Mikel Recalde, a Spanish journalist, has dismissed the rumours.
“It’s September, Martin Zubimendi decided to stay at Real and he’s going to play the whole season here.”
“Just because the team started badly isn’t going to change anything, since it’s the club of his life, his loves, his feelings.”
“Next summer we’ll see, but nothing has changed. Zubimendi isn’t going to regret staying at home. It’s nonsense and inventions.”
DAVEOCKOP
With two key players being pulled out, there is no way everything can go right from the start of the season.
Although they are too far down the table at the moment, they have the strength to return to the top if they mesh as a team, and it will depend on where they are positioned in the second half of the season.
In the unlikely event of relegation, the transfer window should also accelerate, but as long as they remain in the top flight, it seems unlikely that they will betray the clubs to which they have pledged their loyalty.