Arne Slot and Martin Zubimendi: Liverpool have been here before and it was SENSATIONAL

Liverpool are repeating history 20 years on with their business this summer. But what history to be repeating.

Liverpool's legendary manager left at the end of the season - the one who finally got them winning trophies again and competing with the best. They're replacing him with a very successful manager with a slightly different style, stepping up into the biggest club of his career.

And what better way to help build this new team than a fancy Basque midfielder from Real Sociedad?

➡️ READ MORE: SOCIEDAD TRY TO CONVINCE ZUBIMENDI

That's the situation this summer, much as it was 20 years ago. It was Gerard Houllier stepping aside back then, with Rafa Benitez coming in with plenty of excitement. Xabi Alonso would be his big summer signing (Djibril Cissé was a signing from before his time, despite him arriving in 2004) and the midfielder immediately transformed how the midfield worked.

Now, things aren't exactly the same this time - for all the parallels, there are some major differences. Arne Slot plays a wildly different style to Benitez, while Martin Zubimendi is not the pass-master that Alonso was.

But there is a feeling of familiarity here as history repeats itself. Liverpool aren't stepping away from what brought them success under Jurgen Klopp as Slot will keep things roughly the same, much as Benitez did from Houllier's time.

The Reds also aren't tearing anything up, but will instead place a puzzle piece of a signing in a hope that he unlocks the talent already in the squad. Alonso certainly did that, allowing Steven Gerrard to focus further forward and transform into an all-time great.

Will similar happen this time around? Well, we'll certainly hope this season ends the same as the one that started 20 years ago...

Liverpool want Martin Zubimendi

Arne Slot is in the bag, of course - he's very much Liverpool's head coach now. Zubimendi, however, has a little bit further to go.

He's the player Liverpool want and reports suggest that the Reds will trigger his release clause at Sociedad. That would leave the decision to the player - and signs are positive there.

Things aren't quite wrapped up, then, but we're close. History certainly seems to be repeating itself.