Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi has emerged as the mystery ‘6’ that Liverpool are reportedly targeting.
The 25-year-old looks set to be Arne Slot’s first signing on Merseyside, although the clubs are yet to reach an agreement on a fee but the Anfield side may just pay his €60 million mandatory release clause.
The Euro 2024 winner has reportedly rejected proposed moves to Barcelona, Arsenal and Bayern Munich in the past, but has apparently been convinced by the Reds’ proposal.
So, who is the defensive midfielder and why do Liverpool want to make him the first incoming of the Slot era?
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Who is Martin Zubimendi?
Born in the Basque region of Spain, Zubimendi joined Sociedad in 2011, when he was 12-years-old from Antiguoko, an amateur youth club which boasts Xabi Alonso, Mikel Arteta and Andoni Iraola as graduates.
The midfielder may be about to follow in the footsteps of his idol, current Bayer Leverkusen manager Alonso, who moved to the Reds from the Spanish club in 2004.
He has worked under him too, in La Real’s B team, before making 187 appearances for the first-team, with his role model being nothing but complementary when asked about the player.
“Martin’s a player all coaches would want. He’s generous, he always thinks more about his teammates than himself," he said.
The Reds hero added: “He has that ability to generate play, to make those around him better, always offering solutions; to improve the move.
“He understands what the next step is before the ball gets to him. He has that ability to organise the axis. I loved working with him.”
The final of Euro 2024 made his quality clear to anybody who was not already aware.
England supporters were overjoyed when Manchester City’s Rodri was forced off with injury, but Zubimendi’s introduction arguably made Spain better.
The Sociedad man won all five of his duels, only misplacing two of his passes and making the most tackles in an assured 45-minute display that exemplified why he is one of the most sought-after players in world football.
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Why do Liverpool want him?
The Reds have needed a holding midfielder since losing Fabinho in the summer of 2023.
They had agreed a deal for Moises Caicedo, before the player chose to join Chelsea instead, with Jurgen Klopp's side having to settle for Wataru Endo last summer.
The Japan international was always likely to be a stop-gap signing and has failed to impress in pre-season as Arne Slot has implemented his style of play.
The Dutch head coach is looking for a six that is more of a technical controller than the destroyer type that his predecessor preferred and Zubimendi fits the bill in terms of the attributes that Slot is looking for.
The 25-year-old is a deep-lying playmaker, who is capable of dictating a game from the base of midfield.
His best attributes are his ball retention and distribution, he is comfortable receiving the ball when under pressure, retaining and progressing it, which is crucial for a holding midfielder in the Reds’ new system.
For context, in the 2022-23 season, no midfielder for La Real received more passes from centre backs Robin Le Normand (156) and Igor Zubeldia (116) and Zubimendi’s 184 progressive passes was the most in the squad as per the Athletic.
There are few players in European football as consistent as the Spaniard at escaping dangerous situations and moving the ball forward.
In terms of his passing, he is particularly adept at accurately switching the play to the wings, he can also split defences when he has time on the ball, but is better utilised as the man to progress the ball to more creative players, such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harvey Elliott, Mohamed Salah in the Liverpool squad, as his own influence diminishes in the attacking third.
Defensively, whilst he does not possess a blistering amount of pace, his defensive awareness and ability to read the game mean that he is able to intercept passes and interrupt opposition counter-attacks.
Possibly the most surprising aspect of his game is his ability to win duels in the air, with the 5'10 maestro ranking in the 96th percentile last season for aerial duel success rate in Europe's top five leagues (65.2%).
In fact, of all midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues to have contested over 150 aerial duels since the start of the 2019-20 season, the seemingly Anfield-bound man has the highest success rate (71.1%).
A player that is not afraid to do the dirty work in defence, and an exceptional technician in possession, it is no surprise that he has caught the attention of the Anfield club's recruitment team.
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The verdict
If the club manage to pull off a deal for Zubimendi, the signing is a huge coup.
The player has previously reportedly rejected some of Europe's top sides, and is a huge upgrade on what Liverpool currently have in their squad in the position, especially considering the new head coach's system.
The Reds have waited patiently for the right player to become available to solve their conundrum at the base of midfield, if they secure Zubimendi's signature, it will have been the right move.
