Liverpool has recently seen faint hope revived over a transfer for Martin Zubimendi. Should the Real Sociedad midfielder make the unlikely decision to U-turn, he could still follow in the footsteps of his idol .
To be clear, it's still very much expected that Zubimendi will not be coming to Liverpool. Arne Slot is no longer expected to strengthen in the number six role at all, with other market options not considered an upgrade on the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister .
But that stance shows just how convinced the Reds were of the merits of signing Zubimendi, so if the late chance to resurrect the deal came along, you'd think Richard Hughes would try to take it. And comments from the Real Sociedad manager have raised eyebrows, at the very least.
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"This happens every year," said Imanol Alguacil. "(It happens) to everyone, to all the managers and sporting directors, every summer there’s movement...
"(Mikel) Merino and (Robin) Le Normand? There are no two players like them. And I won’t even tell you (about) if Zubimendi leaves or not last minute."
Native speakers have suggested the tone was tongue-in-cheek, a wry nod to the saga. But with Hughes previously under the impression that Zubimendi had given his word to Liverpool, it would no be entirely beyond the realms of possibility for him to have another change of heart.
At this point, Liverpool would probably not touch Zubimendi with a barge pole unless it had absolutely concrete assurances that he was ready to come to Anfield . But if an accord could be reached — perhaps even a deal ahead of time for 2025 — then the 25-year-old could follow in the path of his idol.
Like many Basque midfielders, Zubimendi looks up to Xabi Alonso above all others. "He’s an idol, a role model," he gushed to the Guardian in 2022.
Both played at legendary local club Antiguoko, a regular feeder into the Real Sociedad system. Both made that step up at 12 years of age. And Alonso's next step was to go to Liverpool — something Zubimendi looked on the cusp of doing.
That was surely part of the appeal to Zubimendi, allowing Liverpool to come closer than any previous suitors to actually tempting him away from Real Sociedad. Hughes knows now that he will have to lay on a thick charm offensive of his own if he ever wants to get the deal over the line, and stressing the Alonso tie might be the way to do it.
Liverpool.com says: It just seemed like the perfect time for Zubimendi to finally move on this summer. The chance to follow in Alonso's footsteps as he entered his peak years should have been irresistible.
In the end, Liverpool was probably thwarted by all the other Real Sociedad departures. Zubimendi did not want to leave his beloved side in the lurch, something you have to respect.
But there's no reason why Hughes can't keep working away in the background. It's not as though Liverpool is targeting an alternative anyway, so it might as well keep trying until the window closes, especially after Alguacil's cryptic comments. Zubimendi's arrival now would be a massive bonus.
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