- Liverpool summer target Zubimendi regrets turning them down, report says
- However, the report has unclear sources, so some skepticism is warranted.
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Martin Zubimendi reportedly regrets snubbing Liverpool this summer to stay at Real Sociedad.
The midfielder has apparently asked the Reds to try and sign him in January after rejecting a £52million offer to stay in San Sebastian.
The 25-year-old had given his word to Liverpool but went back on his word after a charming dig at Real Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil, who reminded him of his love of Basque food and local hiking.
The failure to sign Zubimendi left Liverpool somewhat in the lurch as he was their main target for the summer and they wanted a long-term successor to Fabinho, who left for Saudi Arabia in 2023, but Ryan Gravenberch has impressed at number six.
However, the Spanish media Sports Stadium He claims he has told Liverpool to try and sign him again. That said, a dose of scepticism is in order. Estadio Deportivo cites the ‘English media’ as its source.
Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi wants Liverpool to bid for him again
Zubimendi rejected Liverpool’s £52m offer because he likes the food and walks in San Sebastian
It has been a disappointing start to the season for Real Sociedad, who are 16th in La Liga and just one point above the relegation zone having played one game more than their rivals.
They have finished in the top six for the past five seasons, with Zubimendi playing a major role for much of that time, but this season they have struggled to find the net.
Some think a sticking point for Zubimendi could be that he has not been offered an improved contract, with his current one expiring in 2027.
Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay recently gave an interview in which he denied that Zubimendi demanded an improvement in his contract to stay, amid suspicions that this was the case.
“There has been no conversation with Zubimendi about renewing the contract. There hasn’t been any now and there hasn’t been any before. He hasn’t set any conditions for us,” he told the local newspaper. News from Gipuzkoa.
‘He understood the moment and knew that it was a market in which some players were already going to leave, and he understood that it was a time to stay at Real Sociedad.
‘He has not made renewal a condition, nor have we talked about it. The conversation with Martin was brief and quick.’
As Mail Sport reported in August, the main factor behind Zubimendi’s move was persuasion from manager Imanol.
Zubimendi was Liverpool’s top target in the summer and is a highly-rated defensive midfielder.
The coach is known to have held several meetings with the 25-year-old and touched a nerve with him about staying, referring to how disappointed the fans would be if he left. Imanol also spoke a lot about how good life is for Zubimendi in San Sebastian.
The player gave a presentation focusing on the Basque region’s fine dining options and Zubimendi’s fondness for climbing Mount Ulia. He also spoke about how the player had told Spanish television that he would stay at Real after the Euro 2024 final.