Why Liverpool should have no regrets about Zubimendi’s Arsenal transfer | OneFootball

Liverpool fans will likely have been frustrated by the news of Martin Zubimendi’s impending summer transfer to Arsenal when it broke on Tuesday.

The Spain international is another one to add to the list of targets the Reds have missed out on in recent years; Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia.

Save for Caicedo, Zubimendi came closer than any of those players to joining the club, who were of the opinion that he was open to a move to Anfield last year. That’s why they were willing to meet the €60 million buyout clause in his Real Sociedad contract.

But the story took a twist. He didn’t want to leave his boyhood club, not yet anyway. “I’ve still a lot of things to give to this club, I still wanna grow and develop here,” he later said.

Why Liverpool needed Zubimendi

Liverpool fans unleashed their fury on social media, lambasting the Euro 2024 winner for having the temerity to stay loyal to La Real. Which is a tad ironic, given that’s exactly what Steven Gerrard did in 2005 after initially handing in a transfer request to join Chelsea.

There was always the possibility Liverpool would come back in for him at a later date, given defensive midfielder was a problem position in the squad that needed to be solved.

In his final season at the helm, Jurgen Klopp fast tracked the side’s transition to turn Liverpool into Premier League title contenders. It was extraordinary, but it was glaringly obvious that new additions were needed in midfield. They settled for Wataru Endo after Caicedo and Lavia joined Chelsea, but it was nothing more than a quick fix.

An unlikely solution for Liverpool

Zubimendi seemed like the perfect long-term fit, which made his rejection all the more stinging for the club and its supporters. New manager Arne Slot would have to make do with what he had.

As it turned out, the Dutchman did more than just make do. He landed on Ryan Gravenberch as the team’s new number six, which didn’t exactly fill anyone with confidence.

But the former Ajax and Bayern Munich has turned out to be a revelation in the role. Following his stunning performance in the 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in September, it dawned on everyone that this might be the role he was born to play.

Gravenberch has continued to be a consistent performer in midfield, which is a remarkable turnaround from the unsteady performances we regularly saw from him further up the pitch. Whereas he was once a benchwarmer, it’s now hard to imagine to the starting lineup without him in it.

That desperate need for a DM feels like ancient history now.

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