Liverpool boss Arne Slot may have dodged a bullet after being rejected by Martin Zubimendi over the summer. The Reds were keen on bringing the midfielder to Anfield but he was only interested in staying at Real Sociedad.
Slot had been hoping to make Zubimendi a lynchpin of his midfield after being left impressed by his displays last season. However, a summer move failed to materialise with the Spaniard refusing to entertain Liverpool’s advances.
Fast forward a few weeks and the tables have turned, with Zubimendi said to be regretting his decision to snub the Merseyside giants. Reports have suggested that he has asked Liverpool to revive their pursuit of his signature in January.
It is claimed that Real Sociedad’s tough start in La Liga has prompted Zubimendi to reconsider his future at the club. They have only taken maximum points from one of their opening six games, losing four times, and currently sit just outside the relegation zone.
It might be tempting for Liverpool to go back in for Zubimendi but they could benefit from ignoring him and moving on to other targets. His decision to turn his back on Real Sociedad after just six games does not say a great deal about his potential character.
If he is so willing to give up on Real Sociedad just weeks after pledging to stay, who is to say he would not do the same at Liverpool if they hit a rough patch of form?
The Reds could benefit from signing players with higher commitment levels than Zubimendi in spite of his obvious talent as a footballer. Teams rarely click without the right personalities in the dressing room and his backtracking suggests Liverpool would do well to steer clear.
The emergence of Ryan Gravenberch as an indispensable asset also means Zubimendi is no longer a must-buy for Liverpool. The Dutchman has shown that he is perfectly capable of shining in the deep-lying midfield role and will only continue to get better.
Slot, meanwhile, has maintained that he will only look to sign players who are the right fit for the club and is more than happy to focus only on those already in the building.
Speaking over the summer, he said: “The first aim is to work with these players. The standards are really high when it comes to bringing in new players because we have such a good team and such a good squad.
“Of course, Richard [Hughes, sporting director] and me and other people as well are trying to improve the squad where possible, but that’s not that easy because we have so many good players.”
