Losing Martin Zubimendi is not a bad thing for Liverpool

Nothing is surprising about a midfielder refusing to join Liverpool even if the club had agreed terms, and Martin Zubimendi is the latest player to reject a move to Anfield.

Liverpool is the only club yet to make a single signing in the Premier League this summer and the Reds are working hard to have a succcessful season.

In Jurgen Klopp’s final campaign, the German fixed a major problem in the squad by signing at least four new midfielders, with Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo moving to Anfield.

In the previous campaign, this spot had been a major problem for the Reds and they lost the likes of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho in one summer.

Thiago Alcantara was on the team, but injuries had ruined the midfielder, and he left at the end of last season.

Liverpool's squad had no real weaknesses last season, as the likes of Endo and Mac Allister proved to be astute signings.

This is why the Reds nearly won the quadruple, and the adaptation of their new signings surprised some of their fans.

When Klopp left, everyone worried about who could replace the charismatic German because of how well he compared to the greatest Premier League managers.

Some of Liverpool's supporters were surprised by Arne Slot's selection, but Liverpool took a road they have travelled on for several times before; appointing a manager who isn’t the popular choice.

Slot was well behind the likes of Xabi Alonso and Rúben Amorim on the list of managers who could replace the German.

Liverpool saw what we did not see, and they believe Slot is the ideal man to lead their team back to the top of English football ahead of Manchester City and Arsenal.

However, their lack of signings this summer does not look like a good thing and the latest episode of Zubimendi deciding not to join them is painful to Liverpool tickets buyers.

Why did Liverpool miss out on Zubimendi?

For several seasons Martin Zubimendi has been one of the best midfielders in Europe, which explains why he has been courted by the likes of Arsenal and Bayern Munich before now.

The Spaniard is a part of the Real Sociedad side that has been impressing in La Liga over the last few seasons.

The midfielder wanted to make the move, even though they had been his club since the start of his career.

He was willing to take a risk and move to another country, but Sociedad began a charm offensive to make him stay.

His manager, Imanol Alguacil, led the offensive, and the last straw was when he was told to go to the bank and deposit his release clause by himself.

That was an emotional thing to do and Zubimendi opted not to betray his boyhood club in that manner and could now extend his contract with them.

Just like Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, Liverpool missed out on a midfielder because he simply did not want to join them again.

But the Reds have a good midfield that could sustain a run in the Premier League and also help them to challenge for trophies.

Last season’s midfield rebuild

Without Zubimendi, Slot fielded a starting XI against Ipswich Town that could have been Jurgen Klopp's.

The Dutchman is now working with the players whom the German signed or promoted to the first team while he was Liverpool's gaffer.

One big reason that Liverpool fans are not so worried that their club has not improved its midfield this season is the work they did last summer.

The  Reds invested heavily in their midfield, and Klopp had to work with a completely new set of players in that role.

No one can tell how well Zubimendi could have been as a Liverpool player, but there is a good chance that he could have struggled against some of their current options to get game time.

One big question that the team is yet to answer is what can we expect from Slot-ball? With Mohamed Salah admitting after their win against Ipswich that the players have not adapted to the new manager’s system just yet.

There is still time for that, and the way the current squad adjusts to the new gaffer will determine whether Liverpool must invest in their squad in January or not.

For now, last season’s rebuild seems to be working, and Slot does not have to rush to make signings.

Who are the current midfield options at Anfield?

Liverpool currently has six senior midfielders at the club, including Harve Elliott and Curtis Jones.

The other four joined the club last summer as part of their rebuild. Is this good enough to challenge for trophies?

The Reds manager, Slot, fielded three midfielders in his first game against Ipswich, which could provide a template for how his side will be set up going forward.

This means that he has three other midfield stars who could step up from the bench to help the team win games.

Youngsters like Trey Nyoni, Stefan Bajcetic, and Tyler Morton are options as well if the club does not sell or send them out on loan in this transfer window.

This has been a boring summer for Liverpool fans, as their team has failed to excite them with new signings.

However, their current midfield and squad options mean that Arne Slot does not need to make big purchases this summer to find success in his first season on their bench.

If the stars he met at Anfield can buy into his ideas and play at their best, the team will easily find success in the coming weeks.

Can they win the Premier League this season?

Liverpool is always expected to challenge for the Premier League title since they nearly won it in 2018/2019.

The following season, the Reds were unstoppable as they stormed towards victory in fine fashion, nearly ending the campaign unbeaten as Arsenal did in 2004.

Klopp’s team of 2019/2020 was a terrific unit that built on their success in the Champions League in the previous campaign to find domestic success.

Liverpool remains one of the top clubs in the country, but this is Slot’s first season as their manager, and no one expects him to win the league this term.

The Dutchman won the title in his homeland with Feyenoord and also reached the final of the Conference League with their team.

However, we do not expect him to win the Premier League in his first season in England, so achieving that success will be a plus for him.

If he gets his team to secure some domestic cups, then we can all agree that things have started well for him at the club.

Conclusion

Liverpool’s loss of Martin Zubimendi has been made to look like the end of the world, but they still have a respectable squad that will give them a good season.

If the squad adapts well to the manager’s demands, they could still challenge for the Premier League title.