Martin Zubimendi looked as though he would be heading to Liverpool this time a year ago, but as it turns out, he will almost certainly be lining up for one of the Reds' biggest title rivals next season.
Arne Slot made Zubimendi his principal target during his first summer at the club, earmarking the Spanish midfielder for the holding midfield role in the Reds' team.
The 26-year-old ultimately turned his back on the Reds, opting to stay with Sociedad as he did not want to leave his boyhood club high and dry in a summer that also saw Mikel Merino and Robin Le Normand depart the Basque club.
Explaining his decision to snub Liverpool months later, Zubimendi said: "They were uncomfortable moments for me, because, as is normal, people talk a lot.
“But, anyway, you think about the pros and cons, thinking about it carefully, and you come to the conclusion that, well, for me the best thing was to stay at Real.
"Each one also looks at their personal progress a little. Because of who I am, the project, and the importance that I was going to have this year, I think that I still had steps to take at Real.
“Yes, there are many variables that come into the equation, but the main one was, selfishly thinking, what was best for me. It is true that then there are those thoughts, but I tell you that I tried to be, although it may seem untrue, as selfish as possible, thinking about myself first and foremost, the best thing was to stay.”
The collapse of the move was said to have left Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes angry, according to the Daily Mail.
Hughes believed he had been given an unequivocal agreement from Zubimendi that he would be joining the Reds this summer, and Hughes' reported response summed up how confident he was the deal would be done.
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Zubimendi may have turned down a move to the Premier League a year ago, but this summer he is on the brink of joining Arsenal after the Gunners agreed to pay the £51 million ($70 million) release clause in the midfielder's contract.
Meanwhile, Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard is also closing in on a move to Arsenal. With 30-somethings Jorginho and Thomas Partey both leaving the club, Mikel Arteta is keen to replace their experience, and aged 31, Norgaard could turn out to be a shrewd addition.
Norgaard has been at Brentford since 2019 and has made more than 30 Premier League appearances in three of the four seasons that the Bees have been in the top flight.