Liverpool will not be bringing in Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad this summer as the Spanish number six was added to the list of players in that position who have been admired by the Reds but ultimately not captured.
Aurelien Tchouameni was targeted until it became clear that he only wanted to move to Real Madrid while Moises Caicedo picked Chelsea when Liverpool joined the race for his signature too late in the day. Romeo Lavia then followed suit, though the former Manchester City talent did little last season to suggest that the Reds have really missed out.
The bottom line is, however, that a deep-lying midfielder has long been a signing that Liverpool has been open to. Wataru Endo was not a long-term solution — and the evidence so far is that Arne Slot isn't convinced by his on-ball value.
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With just 17 days remaining in the transfer window, new sporting director Richard Hughes is going to be busy. The Zubimendi saga has not fallen his way, but Liverpool thought the player had given enough encouragement — and maybe even his word — that a deal was possible. In the end, the 25-year-old changed his mind.
The Daily Mirror and others have reported that Liverpool will not necessarily sign an alternative having viewed Zubimendi as the ideal profile. That, though, is not an option that should be preferred. Quite simply, having identified that position as one that needs an upgrade, it would leave a hole in Slot's squad if no one arrives.
Liverpool does have other options who can play as its defensive midfielder, with Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones both having done it during pre-season and Alexis Mac Allister having spent most of his time at Anfield to date playing there. Dominik Szoboszlai and even Trent Alexander-Arnold are other alternatives at a push, and then there is Endo.
Really, though, none of those names look perfect for the role. Gravenberch put in arguably his best performance in a Liverpool shirt to date against Sevilla but the La Liga side offered a very limited attacking threat to test that side of his game. He could look very different playing as the number six against, say, the aerially dominant Brentford — Liverpool's next opponent at home.
Not bringing in an alternative option to Zubimendi would mean Liverpool having limitations as Slot attempts to implement his new style. It would also mean relying on a couple of players to successfully transition into new roles and perhaps put more pressure on Stefan Bajcetic to get back to his best.
Clearly, there are not loads of elite number six options out there — otherwise, Liverpool would have bought one a couple of years ago when it was obvious that Fabinho was in decline. A year on from the Brazilian leaving and a year after he should have been replaced, though, the search for his successor goes on.
It might be the case that there are simply no alternatives that come close to Zubimendi out there. That seems unlikely, though, and failing to sign one before the August 30 transfer deadline should be avoided if Slot's first campaign is going to have the best chance of being successful.
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