Based on Xabi Alonso’s remarks, Liverpool fans have plenty of reasons to be enthusiastic about the Reds’ interest in Martin Zubimendi.
Since David Ornstein’s report on Tuesday in The Athletic that “Liverpool are pursuing a specialist No. 6 from outside of the Premier League,” speculation has been rife about who this target might be.
Reliable journalist Paul Joyce has now revealed in The Times that Liverpool is considering Martin Zubimendi, who replaced Rodri at halftime in Spain’s Euro 2024 final victory over England.
Having made 45 appearances for Real Sociedad during the 2023/24 season, Zubimendi is now on Liverpool’s radar. The Reds are interested in acquiring the midfielder, who has a £51 million buyout clause.
At 25 years old, Zubimendi has been with Real Sociedad since he was 12 and is now one of Europe’s most coveted defensive midfielders.
During his youth career at Real Sociedad, he worked with Xabi Alonso in the B team when Alonso was honing his coaching skills. Both Zubimendi and Alonso share an agent and have a connection to their first grassroots club, Antiguoko, with Alonso noting their similar playing traits in a 2022 interview with the Guardian.
The former Liverpool player commented: “Martin is the kind of player every coach desires. He’s unselfish and consistently prioritizes his teammates over himself. He has a knack for facilitating play, improving those around him, and always offering solutions to advance the move. He anticipates the next step before the ball reaches him and excels at organizing the midfield. I really enjoyed working with him.”
Zubimendi also spoke highly of Alonso, saying: “I wasn’t with him for a full season due to the pandemic, but those months were wonderful. It was when he arrived that I started getting more game time; Xabi gave me a consistent run. I felt his genuine support, likely because we played the same position. He made an effort to guide me and teach me. With him, I learned to recognize and handle different types of pressing. Before, I played more instinctively. With Xabi, I began to truly grasp the concepts of ball progression and play building, with a strong emphasis on analysis.”
“If Zubimendi were to join Liverpool, he would take on the role of the deepest-lying midfielder under Arne Slot, a position that has been filled by Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Ryan Gravenberch during pre-season.”
