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Martin Zubimendi’s decision to backtrack on saying ‘yes’ to Liverpool forced a transfer saga the Reds did not need, and now he has spoken out after staying at Real Sociedad.
Liverpool’s search for a defensive midfielder has been ongoing for years now, and Richard Hughes and Co. thought they were within touching distance of ending the long pursuit this summer.
However, convincing Zubimendi to leave his boyhood club proved a step too far as the Spanish side went on the charm offensive to ensure the Euro winner stayed where he was.
For the Reds, his rejection leaves the club with a No. 6 hole still to fill, but Zubimendi’s recent words to Marca highlight just how difficult it was always going to be to get his signature.
When asked what the San Sebastian club means to him, the 25-year-old said: “Real Sociedad for me is my life, I think I have spent half my life there.
“A lot of what I am is part of La Real, it is my life.”
And while there was pressure from Sociedad to emphasise his importance to the club, Zubimendi revealed he did not get the same treatment from his friends.
On what his friends thought of the summer’s events, he said: “No, no, my friends are clear that whatever I decide will be the best. There is no pressure whatsoever.”
The Spanish international joined the club’s academy in 2011, aged 12, and worked his way up the ranks. He previously rejected advances from Bayern Munich and Arsenal to stay put.
But while Liverpool have enjoyed three successive wins to start the season, Zubimendi has won just one of his four games to see Sociedad sit 12th in La Liga with just four points.
Although many are ready to move on from the 25-year-old after his summer rejection, sources have suggested it could be a deal Liverpool look to revisit in the future.
Virgil van Dijk‘s move to Anfield in January 2018 is a recent example of the Reds sticking to their first-choice target, but it would all still hinge on convincing Zubimendi to leave a club that he says is “my life.”
In other news, Liverpool are set to offer Luis Diaz a new long-term contract after Barcelona and PSG interest throughout the summer.
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