Liverpool fans settled in hopeful of a big day in the transfer market on Thursday.
The Reds finally showed their hand in the window on Wednesday, with Martin Zubimendi revealed to be their top target in the midfield.
Zubimendi looks ideal for Liverpool and would bring another measure of control to Arne Slot’s midfield. The 25-year-old would be a superb addition.
Although it has been claimed that Real Sociedad are resigned to losing Zubimendi, the transfer has not yet been completed and Thursday has been more on the quieter side. Plenty of caution should remain.
But while Liverpool supporters prepare to celebrate a slightly unlikely potential coup in the market, they have been offered a word of warning by a Spanish former midfielder.
Mario Suarez sounds Martin Zubimendi warning
Not everyone will be completely on board with the potential signing of Zubimendi. That is just the way of things in football. Different people have different ideas over how Liverpool should play.
Jamie Carragher has already warned Liverpool about signing a player who is too close to Alexis Mac Allister and he won’t be the only one thinking along those lines.
Zubimendi and Mac Allister are similar footballers and perhaps there is a concern that the Reds may be lacking slightly physically in the middle of the park with them both together.
That’s certainly what former Atletico Madrid midfielder Mario Suarez thinks, anyway.
Suarez played almost 200 times for Atletico during his career and also won three Spain caps in the early 2010’s. And speaking on ESPN UK, the 37-year-old says he’s ‘concerned’ how Zubimendi could fit in physically at Liverpool.
READ MORE: How Liverpool’s starting XI could look with Martin Zubimendi in midfield
“He’s not the type of player that we are used to watching in the Premier League,” says Suarez. “In Spain they compare him to Xabi Alonso a lot, with all the respect. If he gives 80 per cent of what Alonso gave to Liverpool he’ll be a great signing.
“My concern about him is physically,” adds the pundit. “How he can cover Alexander-Arnold when they go to attack or how he can handle when Van Dijk goes to attack. That’s my concern.
“With the ball it’s true that he plays very short passes because that’s Sociedad’s style of play. He’s a good player, I don’t know if he will start immediately, but he’s got a great future.
“It’s my doubt, my concern, but he makes every player around him better, he’s very clever. I think he will need some time but he will adapt.”
Liverpool happy to take Zubimendi risk
It’s certainly true to say that there is always an element of risk when a player comes from overseas to join the Premier League.
The physicality of the division has surprised more than a few top players over the years. And it’s arguably now quicker and more intense than ever.
However, Liverpool have clearly weighed up all of the pros and cons of Zubimendi and decided that he is well worth the risk.
Slot obviously has a very clear idea of the way he wants his midfield to play and the Spain international seems to fit into that as well as he possibly could.
Whether that’s the same in practice as it is in theory, only time will tell. Let’s get the signing over the line first and then see what happens.
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