Who is Martin Zubimendi? All you need to know about key Liverpool transfer target

It's been a very, very quiet transfer window thus far for Liverpool, but it looks like the six-time European Cup/Champions League winners are ready to do some business.

And some shrewd business at that.

90min understands that the Reds have stepped up their interest in Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi this week, seeing him as the perfect first signing of the Arne Slot era at Liverpool.

The Spaniard has made a name for himself in La Liga and played a starring role off the bench to help his country past England in the Euro 2024 final, but to outside audiences his profile is still quite low and his skillset an unknown quantity.

So who is Zubimendi and what would he bring to Liverpool were he to join?

What are Zubimendi's strengths

Zubimendi previously described his role as being the "axis of everything", and it's a pretty perfect description if you ask us.

The 25-year-old is the type of player who makes a team quietly tick, without ever really getting your attention while he does so. He's particularly brilliant at both winning possession back for his team - having a high duel success rate than any of Liverpool's current midfielders during the 2023/24 season - and retaining possession, completing 86.4% of his passes in La Liga last season.

That innate ability to do those things comes from his fantastic reading of the game. Zubimendi is nearly always in the right place at the right time in the middle of the park, sweeping up and allowing his teammates to go and win games in the final third.

Exactly what Liverpool need in a number six, right?

What are Zubimendi's weaknesses

Tune in to 90min's YouTube channel as Jacob Culshaw sits down with Grizz Khan and Zac Alalouff to discuss whether Martin Zubimendi is the perfect first signing for Arne Slot at Liverpool.

Unlike Alexis Mac Allister, Harvey Elliott and Dominik Szoboszlai, Zubimendi is probably never going to go and score you a winning goal.

The fact that he's scored just seven goals in 187 appearances for Real Sociedad is proof of that.

That being said, goalscoring isn't really his job at the end of the day.

How has Zubimendi performed at Real Sociedad?

In a word: brilliantly.

Since rising up through the Sociedad youth ranks, Zubimendi has become the "axis of everything" for the senior set-up.

Zubimendi is the first name on the teamsheet at the Anoeta Stadium, making over 40 appearances in each of the last four seasons - rarely missing games through injury in that time. His form has seen him become one of the most highly-regarded midfielders in Spain, helped Real Sociedad to a Copa del Rey win and earned him a regular place in the Spain international set-up.

What footballer, past or present, does Zubimendi compare to?

The most obvious, and frequent, comparison that's been made has been to Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets.

Zubimendi was previously heavily linked to becoming Busquets' successor at Barca, but they're in financial ruin so they obviously couldn't afford to make a move happen.

In Liverpool terms, there's also a bit of Xabi Alonso about his game. Having worked under Alonso during his time in Real Sociedad's B team, it's clear that he's learnt quite a bit from the legendary midfielder.

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