Studies counsel Liverpool are attempting to signal Martín Zubimendi from Actual Sociedad. We have a look to see the place the Spain midfielder would possibly match at Anfield.
We’re greater than per week into August and Liverpool are but to make their first signing of the summer season switch window. They’re the one Premier League membership to haven’t signed anybody.
With a brand new sporting director in Richard Hughes and a head coach in Arne Slot, extra motion within the switch market was maybe anticipated, however time has been taken to guage the gamers and discover options the place wanted. Slot mentioned not too long ago he doesn’t assume main surgical procedure is required on the squad he inherited from Jürgen Klopp.
Studies on Wednesday urged he could possibly be about to make a transfer for Actual Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi to probably resolve what has been an issue place for Liverpool within the final couple of seasons.
The type of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson dropped off in 2022-23 to the purpose that there have been few reservations about promoting them to golf equipment within the Saudi Professional League final summer season, which led to the membership present process a midfield rebuild.
Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch arrived, and that freshness performed a component in Liverpool securing a third-place end within the Premier League.
Nonetheless, with the shock exit of Klopp and arrival of Slot on the finish of final season, there was at all times an opportunity that the Dutchman would wish to make additional adjustments in the course of the park, and it seems that’s the case.
Endo was a shock signing from Stuttgart, however the Japan captain largely impressed final season. Like many others, his kind dipped within the latter phases of 2023-24 as Liverpool’s title problem light, however total, it was a decent debut marketing campaign for the 31-year-old.
On Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the US, Endo began the primary recreation in opposition to Actual Betis, however after that, he wasn’t given a lot time on the pitch, with the likes of Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and even 17-year-old Trey Nyoni picked forward of him.
There have been stories that Liverpool will entertain bids for Endo this summer season, and the suggestion is that Slot would like somebody extra comfy in possession within the quantity six place.
That’s the place Zubimendi is available in.
In a really perfect alternate universe, Slot would have most likely beloved to have a totally match Thiago Alcântara to name on, however the former Bayern Munich man retired over the summer season after barely taking part in final season as a consequence of damage points.
Zubimendi shouldn’t be a Thiago reproduction, however there are particular similarities.
The 25-year-old has been in comparison with Sergio Busquets in addition to his idol and former supervisor Xabi Alonso. He sits on the base of midfield and collects the ball from the goalkeeper or defenders, permitting his staff to construct out from the again, one thing Slot – like most trendy coaches – insists upon. Press-resistant and calm beneath strain, Zubimendi has carved out a fame as considered one of Europe’s finest gamers in a tricky function to get proper.
It’s no marvel he has been commonly linked with European giants equivalent to Arsenal, Bayern and Manchester United. Actual Sociedad are apparently making an attempt to speak their pivote into snubbing outdoors curiosity once more, and it’s simple to know why.
As our article from nearly two years in the past on him outlined, Zubimendi’s brilliance is in nearly not being observed. He allows others round him to shine, placing the staff above all else.
It’s testomony to Rodri that each time discussions about gamers within the deepest midfield place come about, there’s an acceptance that you just simply want to search out the following neatest thing to the Manchester Metropolis star. Spain boss Luis de la Fuente clearly thinks that man is Zubimendi, so far as Spanish gamers go anyway. He was Rodri’s backup throughout their profitable Euro 2024 marketing campaign and got here off the bench to switch him at half-time within the remaining, when Spain turned it on in opposition to England.
The idea was that Rodri’s absence would give England a giant probability, however Zubimendi took over the place his teammate had left off and shone in Berlin. He accomplished 24 of 26 passes (92.3%), together with 100% of his six passes within the remaining third, gained all 5 of his duels, gained possession 3 times (as many as Rodri within the first half) and made three tackles, with solely Dani Carvajal and Fabián Ruiz (4) making as many, and each performed the complete recreation.
Born in San Sebastián within the Basque Nation, Actual Sociedad are Zubimendi’s membership. He has been there for the reason that age of 12 and has turned down strikes to larger groups to stick with his boyhood membership. He has been a daily a part of La Actual’s midfield since 2019, taking part in 188 occasions in all competitions for the primary staff.
Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil could be detest to lose his key man in midfield, particularly with Arsenal reportedly making an attempt to signal one other of his gems in Mikel Merino.
Zubimendi is especially good at retaining the ball, and solely misplaced possession 9.1 occasions per 90 minutes in La Liga final season. Of midfielders who performed a minimum of 1,000 minutes, solely 13 averaged fewer losses of possession per 90. It’s a metric that needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, given gamers who commonly try extra adventurous passes typically file greater numbers in the case of shedding possession.
That doesn’t imply Zubimendi is too cautious, although; in reality, 467 of his 1,535 passes have been ahead (30.4%), the next proportion than, for instance, Luka Modric (26.8%).
He averaged 51.7 passes per 90 in La Liga in 2023-24, with an accuracy of 86.4%. That’s near the identical numbers he produced within the earlier two years when he actually started making a reputation for himself.
Actual Sociedad averaged 55.5% possession in La Liga final season, however Zubimendi would possible see much more of the ball at Liverpool, who averaged 61.3% possession within the Premier League, whereas Slot’s Feyenoord averaged 62.3% within the Eredivisie. The Dutchman was heard to shout “Kill them with passes!” throughout a Liverpool open coaching session within the U.S.
It’s not simply in La Liga the place Zubimendi has impressed. His first time competing within the UEFA Champions League final season went in addition to could possibly be anticipated. La Actual reached the final 16 earlier than being eradicated by Paris Saint-Germain, however Zubimendi dealt with the strain effectively – in additional methods than one.
He accomplished 328 of his 377 passes beneath strain within the Champions League final season (87%), greater than his total go accuracy in La Liga.
He additionally executed 65 line-breaking passes within the Champions League, 15 of which got here in a powerful exhibiting within the 3-1 residence win over Benfica within the group stage.
Compared to Liverpool’s essential midfield choices final season, Zubimendi had larger duel success, profitable 54.6%, with Mac Allister the one Reds midfielder to finish the marketing campaign with greater than 50% success. In the meantime, solely Gravenberch averaged fewer passes and a decrease go accuracy, however the Dutchman largely performed in a extra superior function on the left of a midfield three.
Evaluating Zubimendi to Endo, the numbers on the floor don’t present that a lot distinction. It must be remembered that Endo’s numbers got here from taking part in for Liverpool whereas Zubimendi’s have been in a special system at Sociedad, however the Japan worldwide had the next go accuracy within the league (88.4% to 86.4%) and extra probabilities created from open play per 90 (0.8 to 0.5), although extra of Zubimendi’s passes have been ahead (30.4% to twenty-eight.1%). Endo did lose possession extra typically per 90 (11.2 to 9.1), although, and was dribbled previous by an opponent extra typically per 90 (2.2 to 0.6).
That factors to how good Zubimendi may be in defensive conditions. He’s not an aggressive defensive midfielder within the mould of a Javier Mascherano, however he does sufficient to assist his staff break opposition play up. As you may see under, he gained 81 of 157 floor duels in La Liga in 2023-24 (51.6%) in comparison with Endo’s 83 floor duels gained out of 201 within the Premier League (41.3%).
Finally – and that is most likely not one thing we needs to be admitting in an article analysing his information – however Zubimendi is arguably the form of participant who can’t actually be achieved justice by way of the numbers, as was considerably the case with Busquets.
By the way, the previous Barcelona midfielder’s final publish on X was simply previous to their 4-0 Champions League semi-final defeat at Anfield in 2019. 5 years later, his inheritor obvious could possibly be about to jot down his personal story on Merseyside.
Xabi Alonso coached Zubimendi when answerable for Actual Sociedad B, and defined why he’s such a giant fan of the participant, saying: “Martin’s a participant all coaches would need. He’s beneficiant, he at all times thinks extra about his teammates than himself. He has that skill to generate play, to make these round him higher, at all times providing options; to enhance the transfer.
“He understands what the following step is earlier than the ball will get to him… I beloved working with him.”
The most recent stories counsel the participant remains to be undecided about leaving his boyhood membership, however ought to the deal occur, Zubimendi could be the primary participant to maneuver from Actual Sociedad to Liverpool since Alonso in 2004. Making something like the identical influence at Anfield because the Bayer Leverkusen supervisor would greater than suffice for the followers.
It might additionally make Zubimendi the primary signing for Liverpool beneath Arne Slot. Watching him play might assist present a window into what the post-Klopp period will appear to be.
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