Liverpool had a relatively quiet time in the transfer market this summer. They welcomed Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and Italian international Federico Chiesa to the team, but it was unquestionably Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi who was at the centre of the conversation.
The 25-year-old midfielder, who also plays for Spain, at one point seemed close to joining Liverpool, but pledged his loyalty to the club he grew up at from the academy.
However, Ian Doyle of the Liverpool ECHO reported that if the midfielder wanted to leave, the Reds would have second access.
“I think if Martin Zubimendi wants to leave Real Sociedad in January, I think Liverpool will try and sign him.”
“We know they’ve got the money for him, otherwise they wouldn’t have approached in the first place.”
“The deadline is his contract basically. So if he fancies it, then I think Liverpool quite clearly will go in for him, because they wanted him. As well as Gravenberch and the rest of them have done – they can’t play all the games!”
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This season, with the main squad out, he has not performed as well as expected in La Liga. Reports are circulating that this is the reason why he is seeking a transfer, but it is unlikely that the Spanish midfielder will actually demand to leave.
It is unlikely that he will change his mind 180 degrees in six months and will continue to spend time at La Real, but Liverpool have not given up on securing a defensive midfielder and it will be interesting to see if they sign a new midfielder in the transfer market this winter or next summer.