Real Sociedad makes Martin Zubimendi transfer admission after Liverpool decision

Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil has not completely ruled out the possibility of Martin Zubimendi leaving the La Liga side this summer. That is despite the 25-year-old Spanish international having already turned down a transfer to Liverpool .

New Reds sporting director Richard Hughes wanted to bring Zubimendi to Anfield and he did everything in his power to convince the player and get a deal over the line. But Zubimendi could not be talked into leaving his boyhood side. Despite that, Alguacil is refusing to get carried away.

"This happens every year [teams coming for their players], to everyone, to all the managers and sporting directors, every summer there’s movement..." Alguacil said (via teamTALK ). "[Mikel] Merino and [Robin] Le Normand? There are no two players like them.

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"And I won’t even tell you [about] if Zubimendi leaves or not last minute. They are all unreal players... due to the things that they’ve done with us, Le Normand has left, Arsenal wants Merino and Liverpool was willing to pay Zubimendi’s clause. But we can’t find excuses every time there’s no Merino and Le Normand."

Having been prepared to pay Zubimendi's $66m (£51m/€60m) release clause, it was expected that the player would make the switch to Merseyside and follow in the footsteps of his hero, Xabi Alonso . But Zubimendi opted to stay put rather than make the switch and is in line to pen a new contract as a result.

In its opening match of the new La Liga season, Real Sociedad lost 2-1 at home to Rayo Vallecano. Zubimendi scored a late consolation and had been given a big reception by the home supporters, as you might expect after his decision to remain loyal.

Liverpool.com says: If Zubimendi was taking a couple of weeks to say yes and he wasn't sure about leaving Sociedad, it is probably for the best that Liverpool didn't bring him in. Only players who are 100 per cent ready to make the move are going to perform at their peak and it would have been a risk to sign someone who wasn't really convinced.