Zubimendi deal surely OFF after Real’s ‘brutal dig’…but Liverpool ‘transfer trick’ can revive move

Liverpool will almost certainly break off talks with Real Sociedad after their ‘brutal dig’ over Martin Zubimendi, but they do have a ‘transfer trick’.

Hey Macarena. Eh?

The Anthony Gordon well dried up about a month ago but defeat appears to have finally been declared in terms of certain outlets pretending he might join Liverpool.

But Martin Zubimendi is here to fill that void and do not doubt how thankful the Liverpool Echo are for that – his name is mentioned 19 times on their home page.

That is absolutely fair: they cover one club and he is very much the story. But some of the coverage is quite inevitably absolute nonsense.

‘Martin Zubimendi to Liverpool transfer feelings made clear as Real Sociedad send brutal dig’ is a prime example. The ‘brutal dig’ in its entirety can be seen here. Parental discretion is advised:

📋 La convocatoria para el partido de mañana.#FCUnionRealSociedad pic.twitter.com/jIb2xt5SLi

— Real Sociedad Fútbol (@RealSociedad) August 8, 2024

This means morewar.

The Echo also tells us ‘Martin Zubimendi decision made as transfer uncertainty continues and Liverpool watch on’. The ‘Martin Zubimendi decision’ being for Real Sociedad to include him in their travelling squad for that pre-season friendly against Union Berlin.

It took the Echo three hours from that point to realise the match graphic La Real chose for the game was obviously a ‘brutal dig’ at Liverpool.

Then there is this: ‘Liverpool change unique Martin Zubimendi transfer approach as Richard Hughes faces huge decision’. And Mediawatch has stared at those 767 words from Senior Football Writer Stephen Killen for long enough to admit it has absolutely sod all idea what Liverpool’s ‘unique Martin Zubimendi transfer approach’ ever was, never mind how they have ‘changed’ it.

But it is good to know that Liverpool will ‘weigh up options before battering open the Anfield exit doors’, while Real Sociedad ‘will be battering down the hatches to ensure there is no squad upheaval’.

The first and last paragraphs do catch the eye. Killen tells us that Zubimendi ‘has seemingly sparked his own ‘Macarena’ with conflicting reports that he has agreed to an Anfield move, while there is a suggestion that he has doubts over the switch’. But Liverpool want his and some of their own squad players’ futures sorted quickly ‘to shake it all about for Slot’s Premier League bow. That’s what it’s all about.’

…does he think Los del Rios sang the Hokey Cokey?

READ NEXT: First Liverpool signing hits rocks as Zubimendi ‘full of doubts’ with only ‘small chance’ of transfer

Please release me, let me go

Yet that cannot be where we end with the Echo on Friday, because ‘Liverpool must repeat transfer trick to complete £51m Martin Zubimendi deal’. They simply ‘must’; what else are we supposed to write about?!

The ‘transfer trick’ is mercifully revealed almost immediately. It is – and at this stage sporting directors should have a pen and paper ready to jot this remarkable wisdom down – triggering release clauses.

They did it with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai but Liverpool might just copy that ‘transfer trick’ of *checks notes* paying precisely what another club wants for one of their players.

‘Such a short-term commitment would represent a statement of intent by the club and an endorsement of the business done by the previous regime.’

Nope. It would represent a club paying a release clause. You can do it on Football Manager. Liverpool have not invented it.

A cut’s trick

The Daily Mirror website have their Liverpool fun too:

‘Arne Slot ‘cuts’ four players from Liverpool first-team squad as transfer exits expected’

Sounds more ‘brutal’ than a social media graphic featuring another club’s transfer target. Big Arne Slot is laying down the law.

Except the only other mention of the word ‘cut’ is in the first paragraph, which begs the question as to who they are quoting in the headline.

It is at least made clear fairly early on which unfortunate players have been ‘cut’ by Slot, those being Ben Doak, Tyler Morton, Lewis Koumas and Harvey Blair. Each were ‘on their pre-season tour of the US’ but played for the U21s on Wednesday. Mainly because they are U21 players.

Has Slot lost his mind? Does he not realise he has just ‘cut’ 13 minutes’ worth of 2023/24 Premier League minutes (all by Doak, all in the opening game against Chelsea) from his first team?

Spare a thought for Koumas in particular, being ‘cut’ from the first team on the same day he signs a new long-term Liverpool deal before making the Championship loan move he was always going to.