Liverpool boost as ‘everything indicates’ Reds will sign £51m Arne Slot ‘priority’
Liverpool have been handed a huge boost in their bid to sign Arne Slot’s priority Martin Zubimendi as ‘everything indicates’ the midfielder will join the Reds this summer.
Manchester United have also been linked with Real Sociedad star, who has a €60m (£51m) release clause in his contract, but David Ornstein of The Athletic revealed on Wednesday that Liverpool are ‘exploring a deal’ to sign the 25-year-old, who has become Slot’s ‘priority’ option to play as the club’s new No.6.
‘Liverpool are exploring a deal to sign Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad as they work to strengthen Arne Slot’s squad with a new No 6.
‘A move for the 25-year-old Spain international is complicated by his €60million (£51.7m; $63.4m) release clause needing to be paid in full — if the La Liga club are not willing to negotiate a fee below that figure.
‘Liverpool would also need to convince Zubimendi to leave, which a number of suitors from the Premier League and elsewhere have not managed to do so far. Zubimendi has previously attracted the interest of Arsenal and Barcelona, with the latter keen on the Spaniard as far back as last summer.
‘The Athletic reported on Tuesday that Liverpool were pursuing a No 6 from outside the Premier League as a priority to add to Arne Slot’s squad. In pre-season, Slot has played Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch in that role.’
The talented midfielder was also heavily linked with Arsenal earlier this summer after he shone for Real Sociedad last season, but Mikel Arteta is understood to be in favour of signing Mikel Merino as a cheaper alternative.
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And according to a report in Spain, Liverpool CEO Michael Edwards is confident he can lure the Spain international to Anfield.
‘Everything seems to indicate that, unless the soccer player changes his opinion, his offensive could be successful’, the report states.
There’s hope he could be ‘seduced to follow in the footsteps of what has always been his idol, Xabi Alonso’ and it’s claimed Liverpool ‘would have no problem paying’ the required €60m ‘without instalments’.
Zubimendi claimed during the European Championship that “this season I will continue in Real. I have a contract. It’s the place where I feel most comfortable, so no problem”, but as the report states there ‘now there is a problem and it’s called Liverpool. The report adds:
‘Zubimendi has always followed the Premier League with passion and has not hidden that one day he would like to try his luck there. Another factor to take into account is that he is represented by IDUB, the same agency as Andoni Iraola, with whom Richard Hughes, the sporting director hired a few months ago from Bournemouth, maintains a very good relationship.’
