Richard Hughes. Source: Imago Images
Liverpool went into the last summer transfer window under a new manager knowing fully well that they needed to bring in a defensive midfielder. Everyone in the market knew that the Reds wanted to sign a number 6 but the window ended with the club signing Federico Chiesa from Juventus for a small fee.
What happened? A defensive midfielder was a priority but the club ended up signing a player who has played 78 minutes of football this season and has struggled to prove his fitness to an annoyed Arne Slot who has already moaned about the injuries to his attackers.
It is to Slot’s credit that he didn’t allow Liverpool’s failure to secure a number 6 to affect him as the Dutchman repurposed Ryan Gravenberch as a defensive midfielder and the former Bayern Munich man has been nothing short of brilliant.
However, the mystery behind Liverpool’s decision not to sign a midfielder once Martin Zubimendi decided against leaving Real Sociedad has continued to baffle everyone.
It is even more confusing as Liverpool were certain about getting the Spain midfielder and his decision to stay put at La Real, shocked the club into doing nothing else on the defensive midfield front.
Some wondered how good the Spaniard must be that Liverpool didn’t bother to seek an alternative target once Zubimendi rejected moving to Anfield.
I am here to tell you, he is that good. Finding another player of Zubimendi’s quality in the market at that price point (a €60m release clause) was almost an impossibility.
The Spain international reminds everyone of another former Red star from the Iberian peninsula
Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the Ballon d’Or this year but many forget, he was replaced by Zubimendi at half-time in the European Championship final against England.
The Real Sociedad midfielder brought a sense of calm to the Spain midfield as La Roja went on to beat the Three Lions to win the summer tournament.
He is widely considered the best defensive midfielder who is not playing for one of the elite teams in Europe at the moment. It is no surprise that Liverpool pushed hard to sign him given their need for someone who could add that calmness and solidity in the middle of the park.
Zubimendi’s style of play often resembles Xabi Alonso, a stalwart midfielder who played for Real Madrid, Liverpool and Spain during his playing career. Like the former Red, the Spain international is a brilliant passer of the ball and has the ability to control the tempo of the game from the base of the midfield.
However, the Real Sociedad star does not shy away from tackling and the precision of his challenges surprises many as he doesn’t resemble a hard-nosed combative defensive midfielder from the outside. Most importantly, Zubimendi’s presence in the middle of the park calms his teammates down as he is always available for a pass in the tightest of positions and his quick feet allow him to get out of midfield cul-de-sacs.
While not prolific, Zubimendi also pops up with goals and assists and shows the same level of calmness in the final third while picking out a pass or finding the bottom corner of the net. He would have been an absolute fan favourite if he ended up at Liverpool in the summer.
The Merseyside giants could further lament not getting him when they had the opportunity
Liverpool’s position in the league suggests that Liverpool have not done too badly despite failing to sign Zubimendi but in the long term, further pain could be on the cards.
Manchester City have lost four games on the bounce, their worst run since 2006, and are feeling the pinch of not having Rodri in their team at the moment. They are almost certain to sign a defensive midfielder in the winter window and guess who has been linked with a move to the Etihad? Zubimendi.
The Real Sociedad star is Rodri’s deputy in the Spain squad but Manchester City could sign him to effectively replace the 28-year-old in their team as he is likely to be out for the rest of the season. There is no doubt that Zubimendi has the quality to seamlessly dovetail into Pep Guardiola’s team.
Can you name the club Liverpool sold these players to?
While the midfielder has said nothing to suggest that he is more open to moving now than in the summer, a chance of joining Manchester City could prove too hard to turn down.
Not signing Zubimendi was a problem for Liverpool in the summer but watching him join Manchester City in January would only compound the mistakes they made.
Will the midfielder finally agree to move to England? Will Manchester City succeed where Liverpool failed? The Reds hope that the answer to both the questions is a resounding NO.
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