Cast your mind back to four months ago, when Martin Zubimendi was the name on seemingly every Liverpool fan’s lips as Richard Hughes seemed poised to clinch his first signing as the Reds’ sporting director.
As we know, the proposed transfer suddenly came crashing down on a balmy Monday evening when it was reported that the Euro 2024-winning midfielder instead chose to remain with Real Sociedad, finding the emotional ties of his boyhood club too strong to sever.
There have been claims and counterclaims as to who’s responsible for the seemingly nailed-on deal collapsing, but a new insight has revealed just how close it came to fruition in August.
McManaman makes Zubimendi transfer claim
Speaking on punditry duty for TNT Sports for Liverpool’s Champions League clash against Girona on Tuesday, Steve McManaman made an astonishing claim as to how far along the proposed Zubimendi transfer had been.
When Rio Ferdinand alleged that the Reds hadn’t envisaged Ryan Gravenberch reaching the standards that he’s shown this season, the ex-Anfield winger replied (via Liverpool Echo): “I think you’re right.
“The fact that Martin Zubimendi was practically signed, pictured, kit on, etc etc and then he decided to go back on that and stay with Sociedad. It meant that Ryan Gravenberch, along with [Wataru] Endo, they were the only two in that position.”
Gravenberch’s form has overrriden Zubimendi regrets
For a primary transfer target to be so close to signing that he’d be pictured in club kit only for the deal to fall through at the 11th hour would usually be a source of head-banging frustration for supporters, especially for Liverpool fans at a time when no summer signings had yet arrived.
However, the failure to land Zubimendi has long since been attentuated by the magnificent form of Gravenberch’s, who’s been consistently brilliant at the base of the Reds’ midfield since Arne Slot took charge.
Although the Spaniard has a narrow edge on the 22-year-old across a series of performance metrics this season, the Dutch midfielder boasts superior percentages for pass success (89.1% to 84.7%) and aerial duels won (85.7% to 71.8%), along with making more interceptions (28 to 19) despite playing fewer minutes (FBref).
If our number 38 hadn’t risen so brilliantly to the challenge, LFC supporters would probably harbour serious regrets over missing out on the Real Sociedad maestro.
That said, a renewed pursuit of the Spain international hasn’t been ruled out, so it’s not unthinkable that we could yet see a formiable Gravenberch-Zubimendi axis in Liverpool’s midfield. Now wouldn’t that be quite the partnership!
