Martin Zubimendi has made a decision regarding his potential transfer to Liverpool this summer, opting to stay with Real Sociedad amid strong interest from the Premier League club.
The 25-year-old midfielder has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool, who are now managed by Arne Slot and have yet to sign any new players ahead of the 2024/25 season. The club had hoped that Zubimendi would become their first signing of the summer. However, Spanish outlet Relevo reports that he has rejected Liverpool’s proposal, representing a significant setback for Slot’s transfer strategy.
According to the report, Zubimendi has “passed up” the opportunity to join Liverpool and will remain at Sociedad for the upcoming campaign. Notably, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano mentioned that Liverpool offered him a salary significantly higher than what Sociedad could provide.
The rejection follows claims that Sociedad informed Zubimendi he must pay his own release clause of £51 million if he wished to leave the club. Last season, the Spanish international featured in 45 games across all competitions and played a role in Spain’s Euro 2024-winning campaign, appearing as a substitute in the final against England.
Meanwhile, Liverpool secured back-to-back friendly victories against Sevilla and Las Palmas last Sunday, preparing for their new Premier League season as they face Ipswich Town on Saturday.
In response to questions about potential signings, manager Arne Slot emphasized, “As a club like we are, we’re always looking to strengthen the squad, but it’s not easy to do so based on today’s performances. If we can, we will strengthen the squad.”
When pressed on Zubimendi, Slot humorously noted, “You can come up with hundreds of names!”
Credit: Sport Bible
