A few weeks ago, Martin Zubimendi said he wouldn't be leaving Real Sociedad, ending the hopes of Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Barcelona for a big-money summer deal. But now, he might play in the Premier League after all.
Even though Liverpool changed their center in the summer of 2023, they are said to be battling hard to sign the Spain international, who filled in for Rodri during his country's win over England in the Euro 2024 final.
This is because Zubimendi's Sociedad contract has a €60m (£51.4m) release clause, so signing him would not break the bank for Liverpool. Arne Slot is trying hard to win over the midfielder with his idea for Liverpool.
Zubimendi has been doing his normal business with Sociedad. On Friday, he played in a friendly draw with Union Berlin, even though rumors say he is confused between moving to the Premier League and staying with Sociedad. However, everyone agrees that he will end up on Merseyside between now and the end of the window.
The 25-year-old is primarily a number six, and next season, he will likely work with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai in Liverpool's engine room. He will also compete with Wataru Endo to start in the defensive midfield spot.
Comparing Zubimendi to current Liverpool midfielders
PASSING
A quick note before we get to the important numbers: all four midfielders in this comparison played the same number of league games during the 2023–24 season. Mac Allister and Szoboszlai played in 33 games, Zubimendi in 31, and Endo in 29.
Mac Allister completed 1,704 passes in the Premier League last season, much more than Zubimendi, who came in second with 1,321. Zubimendi was Liverpool's main midfielder during Jurgen Klopp's last season in charge.
Endo, a Japanese player, has the best total passing record of the four, with an 88% success rate. Zubimendi was slightly worse, with an 85.7% success rate, and Szoboszlai, with an 82.6% success rate. Another thing is that Endo completed more short and long passes last season, even though he started fewer Premier League games.
Zubimendi had the same success rate with both short and medium passes: 607 completions out of 677 tries, for an overall success rate of 89.7%. He also threw for a much longer distance (6,269 yards) than Szoboszlai (4,929).
One passing metric does put Zubimendi in first place, though: the Spaniard had the fewest interceptions last season, with just 13. On the other hand, 32 of Mac Allister's attempts to find a partner were blocked by an opponent.
To no one's surprise, Zubimendi made the fewest key passes in 2023–24, giving his partners 16 chances. This is the same number of chances as Endo. At the same time, Szoboszlai created 56 chances, and Mac Allister created 47.
ATTACKING
It's unfair to judge Zubimendi based on what he did while playing for Liverpool. The Spaniard had a direct hand in five goals in La Liga in 2023–24, scoring four and setting up one.
The 25-year-old scored four goals, but none of them were penalties. That's only one less than Mac Allister, who scored five goals in his first Premier League season. Szoboszlai scored three goals and Endo scored one.
Last season in the league, Szoboszlai had just one more assist than Zubimendi. Mac Allister set up five goals for his teammates, while Endo, already being linked with a move away because Liverpool wants Zubimendi, didn't have a single assist.
In the 2023–24 La Liga season, Zubimendi only had 22 shots, but 11 of them hit the target. This gave the 25-year-old the best shots-on-target % of the four players, with 50%. Endo came in second with 30%, and Mac Allister, who often missed, had just 18.6%.
Part of the reason for that number is that Zubimendi shoots from much closer; the Spaniard's average shooting distance last season was 14.8 yards, while all three Liverpool players had a mean of at least 20 yards.
Even though Zubimendi doesn't often go after people, when he does, he usually wins. In 18 attempts last season, he dribbled past his opponent 12 times and was only tackled five times.
It's no surprise that the Sociedad player was able to easily fill in for Rodri in the Euro 2024 final. He lost the ball the fewest times (16) and handled it incorrectly the fewest times (26) of the four.
DEFENDING
Comparing Zubimendi to current Liverpool midfielders
Endo and Mac Allister would share the number six spot during Klopp's last season as Liverpool's manager. However, Endo will likely permanently play a more advanced role next season if Zubimendi fills in for Fabinho.
Regarding tackles made (99) and won (55) in the 2023–24 season, the Argentine is far ahead of the other three key players. Zubimendi, on the other hand, tried to take an opponent off the ball 49 times and was successful 27 times.
But when it comes to specifically challenging dribblers, Zubimendi wins with a success rate of 54.8% (23 wins out of 42 tries), while Mac Allister did pretty well with 47.2%, even though he tried 125 times more than Zubimendi.
It wasn't hard for Zubimendi to get in the way, either. He blocked nine shots and made 37 saves last season, the most in this group of four players.
54 clearances is a lot more than Endo (31), Mac Allister (25), and Szoboszlai (16), though the 25-year-old would have to spend more time in his own penalty area if he played for Sociedad instead of Liverpool.
However, Zubimendi's 61.1% overhead win rate is the best of the four, even though he is only 5 feet 11 inches tall. Szoboszlai is the only one of the four taller than six feet, but with a success rate of 37.5%, he is at the bottom of the list of goals.
Interestingly, the Hungarians recovered more lost balls than Zubimendi did last season (171) compared to 169 for the Sociedad star. This is likely because Liverpool pressed so hard in the final third.
OTHERS
Regarding discipline, Zubimendi only got five yellow and no red cards in the 2023–24 La Liga season. He got his five warnings over 31 game weeks, which meant he would not have been suspended in the Premier League.
Endo, the player Zubimendi will replace, got 10 Premier League yellow cards for being rude last season. Mac Allister got seven yellow cards and was sent off once, while Szoboszlai only got a warning once.
Endo unfairly challenged an opponent 50 times, while Mac Allister did it 53 times. Zubimendi also had the fewest fouls, with 36. He also got the fewest free kicks, with 20. The shortest Mac Allister had the most fouls, with 47.
As Sociedad's leading player in the middle, Zubimendi finished 27 of the 29 games he started, only coming off for two. In the Premier League last season, Klopp hooked Endo nine times, Szoboszlai thirteen times, and Mac Allister fourteen times.
It was easier for Zubimendi to play 90 minutes last season because he was the only one of the four who didn't make a mistake that led to a shot in league play. Endo made this mistake three times, while Mac Allister and Szoboszlai made one.
However, Zubimendi's 61.1% overhead win rate is the best of the four, even though he is only 5 feet 11 inches tall. Szoboszlai is the only one of the four taller than six feet, but with a success rate of 37.5%, he is at the bottom of the list of goals.
Interestingly, the Hungarians recovered more lost balls than Zubimendi did last season (171) compared to 169 for the Sociedad star. This is likely because Liverpool pressed so hard in the final third.
OTHERS
Regarding discipline, Zubimendi only got five yellow and no red cards in the 2023–24 La Liga season. He got his five warnings over 31 game weeks, which meant he would not have been suspended in the Premier League.
Endo, the player Zubimendi will replace, got 10 Premier League yellow cards for being rude last season. Mac Allister got seven yellow cards and was sent off once, while Szoboszlai only got a warning once.
Endo unfairly challenged an opponent 50 times, while Mac Allister did it 53 times. Zubimendi also had the fewest fouls, with 36. He also got the fewest free kicks, with 20. The shortest Mac Allister had the most fouls, with 47.
As Sociedad's leading player in the middle, Zubimendi finished 27 of the 29 games he started, only coming off for two. In the Premier League last season, Klopp hooked Endo nine times, Szoboszlai thirteen times, and Mac Allister fourteen times.
It was easier for Zubimendi to play 90 minutes last season because he was the only one of the four who didn't make a mistake that led to a shot in league play. Endo made this mistake three times, while Mac Allister and Szoboszlai made one.
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