Liverpool’s pursuit of Martin Zubimendi now appears to have been in vain, going by reports emanating from Spain this evening.
Despite the Reds’ willingness to pay whatever it took to sign the 25-year-old from Real Sociedad, the player appears to have been won over by a charm offensive from his current club.
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Spanish journalist Jorge Picon took to X shortly after 8:30pm UK time on Monday night with the bombshell update, posting: “Zubimendi rejects Liverpool and will remain at Real! The Basque is backing out after giving the go-ahead to the English club two weeks ago. The effort to convince him to stay with Real paid off.”
💣 ¡Zubimendi deja plantado al Liverpool y seguirá en la Real!
El vasco se echa para atrás después de dar el sí a los ingleses hace dos semanas.
El esfuerzo por convencerlo de la Real dio resultado.
🤝 @JLLorenzoH
📲 @relevo https://t.co/vRwRlGGpws— Picón (@JorgeCPicon) August 12, 2024
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Although we’d be inclined to wait for other sources to corroborate these reports, it nonetheless represents an enormous blow to Liverpool if accurate.
For the past week or so, it felt as if the Reds were finally making discernible progress on adding to Arne Slot’s squad, having yet to sign anyone for the new head coach this summer, but the efforts of Richard Hughes and co now seem to have been for nothing.
It wasn’t as if LFC weren’t willing to push the boat out to get their man, but unfortunately the one domino that we really needed to fall – namely the midfielder to say yes to the proposed move – has proven to be the stumbling block to crumble the entire deal.
With Zubimendi seemingly reaffirming his commitment to La Real, Liverpool are left with no choice but to move on and push strongly for alternative targets in the final 18 days of what has hitherto been a sobering transfer window.
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