Liverpool’s three-year seek for a top-quality No.6 appears set to proceed following Martin Zubimendi’s switch snub.
The Athletic’s James Pearce, within the outlet’s newest Switch DealSheet, shared a timeline of occasions that led to the Spaniard’s disappointing determination to remain put in San Sebastian:
- Liverpool had been ready to set off the £51.7m star’s buyout clause
- Senior Anfield figures imagine Zubimendi was open to the transfer
- Actual Sociedad launch a allure offensive – together with a brand new contract provide – to try to get the midfielder to remain
- The 25-year-old requests time to think about the transfer
- On Monday: Zubimendi decides to remain at his boyhood membership for the approaching season
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How will the Reds now reply to lacking out on the ‘unimaginable’ (within the phrases of U23 scout Antonio Mango on X) footballer? Sources near the membership have indicated that Arne Slot’s males might very properly look to resolve the issue with their already obtainable assets.
There are suspicions that Ryan Gravenberch could be an acceptable choice to plug the No.6 gap. Nonetheless, this appears a much less secure guess in distinction to our curiosity within the Actual Sociedad No.4.
READ MORE: After Zubimendi: Paul Joyce opens up on Liverpool’s switch plans as £30m man monitored
READ MORE: Why Zubimendi rejected Liverpool after breaking his phrase with Richard Hughes
What subsequent for Liverpool?
The probability, as issues presently stand, is that we sit with our present choices.
Our Dutch midfielder could be the more than likely choice to fill that house, although you may forgive followers and Arne Slot for having a number of issues.
Although Gravenberch is one thing of a progressive monster (83rd and 94th percentiles for progressive passes and carries), he’s notably much less dependable in the case of retaining the ball. That’s notably well-highlighted by the disparity between his and Zubimendi’s dispossession (not together with occasions the ball was misplaced throughout a take-on) stats per 90 (1.04 vs 0.54), as gathered by FBref.
It’s price declaring, after all, that the previous Ajax man was tasked with taking part in a extra superior function beneath Jurgen Klopp final time period. So therein lies some hope that these figures may be scaled again in our new head coach’s system.
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