Liverpool summer transfer window of 2024 was ultimately one of the best in the club’s long history.
The Reds signed only one new player, Federico Chiesa, for Arne Slot’s first season in charge, which was met with significant backlash at the time.
However, with Richard Hughes and Slot choosing to keep the Liverpool squad that had served Jurgen Klopp so well together, they ultimately made the right call.
Liverpool went on to win the Premier League at a canter, proving that you do not need masses of new faces to improve a group of players.
Of course, that did not mean the Reds did not try and bring at least one more player to Anfield last year.
Liverpool were involved in a drawn-out saga to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. But despite Liverpool feeling Zubimendi had given them their word, the Spanish midfielder backed out of the move. After he completed a transfer to Arsenal on Sunday, more details have emerged of the Reds’ failed pursuit.
New Arsenal signing Martin Zubimendi poses as he signs a contract in front of the Emirates Stadium
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Liverpool had private jet ready for Martin Zubimendi
Arsenal fans must have been feeling as though Zubimendi was never going to arrive. The Gunners were first reported to have sealed a £56m deal for the 26-year-old months ago.
On Sunday, however, the wait was finally over as Zubimendi put pen to paper on a five-year contract at the Emirates Stadium.
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And according to The Athletic, Arsenal’s interest pre-dates that of even Liverpool. They claim the north Londoners were keeping tabs on Zubimendi from as far back as 2020.
As a result, they were also said to be interested last summer, and the player himself is even claimed to have been ‘well aware of Arsenal’s interest’ when he decided to reject Liverpool.
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Nevertheless, Liverpool still reportedly felt they’d got their man. It is claimed that the Reds had a private jet ready for Zubimendi to board such was their confidence that a deal would be reached.
After the Euro 2024 winner said no, however, Liverpool never came back for Zubimendi. This gave Arsenal more or less a free run at him, with the midfielder said to have ‘made his commitment to Arteta and Arsenal some time ago.’
No Zubimendi regrets for Liverpool
In August last year, there was significant annoyance from the Liverpool fanbase towards Zubimendi.
There was a real feeling at the time that the Spain international would have drastically improved Slot’s XI and that the Reds were going into the season short after his U-turn.
But, that was not the way it played out. Ryan Gravenberch benefited from Zubimendi saying no, and there is an argument that the Dutchman is now the better player of the two.
Clearly, Zubimendi has been a much sought-after player over recent years and it is testament to Arsenal’s patience that they are the ones to sign him.
Liverpool have moved on, though. Zubimendi will always be somewhat associated with the Reds after the way he strung them along last summer. But he is very much no longer their problem.