€60m-rated Euro 2024 champion linked with Manchester United would be a perfect Liverpool signing

While Liverpool fans continue to wait for some transfer news this summer, one position has been spoken out more than others across the past year and a half.

That position is defensive midfield. Fabinho was Jurgen Klopp’s first-choice for that role and he played it to perfection from 2018 until his departure in the summer of 2023. Since then, they looked to Wataru Endo and Stefan Bajcetic to be his replacement, which hasn’t quite worked out so far.

Granted, Bajcetic is only 19 and possesses huge potential to be a future star in that role. However, he isn’t the solution for the here-and-now. Endo at 31 was meant to be, even if it was just for a season or two but he signed a three-year-deal last summer. He showed plenty of strong signs last season and, at his best, looked like the bargain of the summer. Yet, there is a debate as to whether he fits in the ‘elite bracket’ of players in that position, good enough to help lead them to titles.

One player who could fit that category is Euro 2024 winner and Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi who has a release clause of €60m. Only 25, he looks ready for that next step up in level having been linked with a move away across the past few summers. His stock rose after a terrific 45 minutes in the Euros final against England where he replaced Rodri and helped Spain to eventually overcome their foes. Linked with Manchester United and Arsenal, he may be about to join the Premier League.

His poise, willingness to get on the ball and positional understanding was evident from the half cameo we saw during that game. But he stands out for certain metrics that are important for someone in that deep-lying role. For example, he ranks in the 96th percentile for aerials won (%), 91st for take-ons, 87th for challenges lost and the 95th for passes blocked.

The issue for Liverpool, with any signing this summer, is that they already have a deep squad across almost every position. Bringing in Zubimendi to be a starting midfielder means that Endo’s game time will be reduced and then the pathway for Bajcetic would be almost entirely closed off. If those problems didn’t exist then Zubimendi would be an intriguing signing to make given his technical and tactical capability - and it is likely we could see him in the Premier League sooner rather than later.