Carragher warns Liverpool over Zubimendi ‘optics’ after four transfer snubs

Jamie Carragher has warned Liverpool over the “optics” of failing to sign Martin Zubimendi as the Real Sociedad star became the fourth midfielder to reject their advances in recent seasons.

Zubimendi looked destined for Anfield as both Liverpool and Sociedad expected the deal to be done with the Reds ready to trigger his £51m release clause.

But the Spain international – who had previously turned down both Arsenal and Barcelona – again decided to stay at his boyhood club after they put pressure on him to stay.

Sporting director Richard Hughes was reportedly ‘angry’ after Zubimendi has intimated that he was willing to make the move, and it means Liverpool are still yet to make a signing under new manager Arne Slot.

That could change with personal terms reportedly agreed with Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, but he’s seen more as a signing for the future and the No.6 role that they’ve been trying to fill since Fabinho left for Al-Ittihad remains an issue.

And Carragher warned his former club that failing to sign Zubimendi “doesn’t look good”.

“I think it was going quite well until the news that we got in the last 24 hours that the signing the manager wanted, almost like his guy, Zubimendi from Real Sociedad has fallen through,” Carragher said on Stick to Football.

“Reading between the lines in terms of reading journalists reports this morning, who obviously get fed information by the club of course, that he had a buy-out clause for £51m I think, and he said he would come.

“Liverpool then go to do the deal and I think the club put a lot of pressure on him to stay.”

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville agreed: “He said yes to them, and he’s then changed his mind late.”

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Real Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil is said to have played a key role in persuading Zubimendi to stay, and although Carragher admits it wasn’t an easy deal to get over the line, he reckons the “optics” aren’t great as he became the fourth midfielder they’ve been rejected by in recent times.

Carragher continued: “It was a bit complicated, but it wasn’t as easy as it sounded for Liverpool. But to be honest it’s not a great look for Liverpool.

“They’ve gone for this sitting midfield player, who is a different type of sitting midfield player to what Jurgen Klopp would have gone for, he went for Fabinho, this guy was obviously more of a footballer, technical player.

“But to not get the first deal done for the new manager, the optics are not great, it doesn’t look good at all, and it’s a position Liverpool have been looking for, for probably three seasons.

“They tried to buy Tchouameni who went to Real Madrid, they obviously lost Caicedo, Lavia, and now they’ve lost this player.”