Richard Hughes, Liverpool’s sporting director, is said to be unhappy when Martin Zubimendi’s deal fell through, with the midfielder opting to stay at Real Sociedad.
Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, has reportedly been left ‘mad’ by Martin Zubimendi’s U-turn on a transfer to Anfield.
The midfielder has turned down the opportunity to join the Reds this summer, choosing to stay at Real Sociedad instead. According to The Times, Liverpool was initially advised that Zubimendi planned to leave his childhood club this summer.
The 25-year-old, however, has reconsidered his decision under pressure from La Real. Following Liverpool’s initial interest, the club launched a charm drive in recent days, which appears to have worked.
Liverpool is unlikely to pursue any additional No.6 options, despite Arne Slot identifying the position as a priority this summer. Zubimendi is claimed to have fit the exact role that the Reds’ new head coach had in mind.
According to the Daily Mail, Hughes is upset since the move failed. Liverpool’s sports director apparently believed he had received an unequivocal agreement from Zubimendi that he would join the Reds this summer, and his stated reaction reflects how certain he was that the transaction would be completed.
The 25-year-old would have been Hughes’ first signing since taking over at Anfield. Liverpool was reportedly willing to spend $66 million (£51 million/€60 million) to trigger Zubimendi’s own buyout clause.
Liverpool remains the only Premier League team that has not made a deal this summer as a result of the Spain international’s refusal to accept the offer. With just over two weeks until the August 30 deadline, it appears that the Reds may go without any new acquisitions.
According to Liverpool.com, Hughes is not the only one who is angry. A brief peek at social media reveals that Liverpool fans are taking a similar position on the situation with Zubimendi.
The truth is, pursuing him always felt like a gamble, given that he had previously turned down offers from Arsenal and Barcelona. Clearly, Sociedad, his childhood club, had more clout than anyone at Liverpool could have anticipated.
Time is running out for Liverpool to make any deals this summer. It will not be a good look for the new period if the window closes without any new additions.
