After a relatively short but certainly intense drama during the summer window, Martin Zubimendi rejected a move to Liverpool.
The Premier League club were prepared to pay the midfielder’s release clause and therefore Real Sociedad had little way to fight back and had to rely on the loyalty of their player against the Liverpool temptation.
It may be rare in modern football, but Zubimendi decided he’d stay with La Real, at least at the time.
Rodri picking up a season-ending injury has seen La Real’s Spain international linked with replacing his Euro 2024 winning teammate at Manchester City.
Those claims are perhaps a little far fetched, given Zubimendi is rather more than an injury stand-in even for a player of Rodri’s calibre.
Nevertheless, the rumours rumble on, and perhaps pairing the two from next summer onwards could be an idea for Pep Guardiola if he decides to stay with Manchester City beyond this season.
Zubimendi has been wheeled out for Spain’s press conference on Wednesday, and was asked about the Liverpool rejection and then recent claims of Manchester City interest.
In response, AS quote him as saying: “My philosophy is to do what I feel at all times. In every market, teams come up. I think the best thing is to be at the club. Now I have a lot to give to Real Sociedad.”
That doesn’t appear to be ruling it out, and is certainly open to interpretation.
