Liverpool manager Arne Slot may have shown interest in several players, but despite the fact his side are still in contention to claim an unprecedented quadruple, the Anfield side didn’t make a single signing in January.
One player who has been linked with a move to Merseyside since last summer is Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi.
The Reds failed to get their man six months ago and they failed to bring him to the Premier League during the winter window.
Liverpool's failure to sign Martin Zubimendi
Manchester City and Arsenal were also keen on a deal to sign the Real Sociedad star, but he wasn’t going to be sold for cheap.
Indeed, the La Liga side inserted a £50m release clause into his contract to deter potential suitors, but there is no doubt he will leave San Sebastián sooner rather than later.
Philippe Coutinho
Barcelona
2018
Enzo Fernandez
Chelsea
2023
Mykhailo Mudryk
Chelsea
2023
Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool
2018
Bruno Fernandes
Man Utd
2020
Dusan Vlahovic
Juventus
2022
Omar Marmoush
Man City
2025
Oscar
Shanghai SIPG
2017
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
PSG
2025
Christian Pulisic
Chelsea
2019
Aymeric Laporte
Man City
2018
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Arsenal
2018
Slot could very well return with an offer when the summer transfer window opens, but with stiff competition from Arsenal, perhaps moving on to other targets would be a wise idea.
Indeed, it’s thought that any dreams the Reds had of landing the Spaniard are likely to fall flat with reports emerging earlier in the window that the Gunners were closing in on a summer move having agreed personal terms with the player.
Liverpool already have their own Zubimendi
Despite Zubimendi’s lavish £50m release clause, the Dutchman has a player in his current Liverpool side who is worth even more than the Real Sociedad midfielder; Ryan Gravenberch.
The teenage prodigy made his name at Ajax, featuring over 100 times for the Eredivisie side between 2019 and 2022. These performances and limitless potential naturally garnered interest in the youngster, and it was Bayern Munich who won the race for his signature.
A fee of £16m, on the surface anyway, looked like it could be a smart piece of transfer business by the Bavarian giants, yet his spell in Munich didn’t go entirely to plan.
The 22-year-old played only 34 times for the club before the Reds rescued him in the summer of 2023. Jürgen Klopp paid £34.2m for the Dutchman, who has sparkled at Anfield, especially this season.
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Former Liverpool icon Steve Nicol praised the young midfielder, who has been a man reborn since Slot arrived, saying:
“He’s been sensational. The amount of times that he breaks up the play because of his starting position and his decision-making, when to step in and win the ball and when to sit back and wait, has really surprised me.”
Compared to his positional peers, Gravenberch ranks in the top 10% for pass completion percentage in the top flight, while also ranking in the top 3% for interceptions and 12% for successful take-ons per 90, further evidence of how good he has been under his compatriot.
These performances have seen his valuation soar recently. Indeed, according to Football Transfers, the former Ajax starlet is now worth upwards of £55m.
This figure means Gravenberch is worth even more than Zubimendi, proving that the Anfield side hit the jackpot on the 18-cap Netherlands international.
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