Liverpool’s big £51m Martin Zubimendi transfer can be summed up in one word

Liverpool are looking to spend big on Martin Zubimendi - but why? Here’s what they’re getting for their money.

News broke this week that Liverpool are targeting Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad for their midfield. The Reds had actually been written-off on finding their ideal no.6 to anchor their defence but it appears they've found their man.

Reports in Spain claim they'll even pay the £51m release clause to sign Zubimendi - or at least, Sociedad expect them to. It's just up to the player and everything is pointing in the right direction there.

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So what are Liverpool doing here? Why is Zubimendi the player for them? It all comes down to one word: reliability.

Yes, that's the most boring word in the world when describing a footballer but that's what Liverpool feel they need. After all, it's what they lacked last season in midfield.

Martin Zubimendi's class

Stats are dull to look at generally but Zubimendi's are particularly dull, as seen here on Fbref. He's among Europe's best midfielders at virtually nothing.

Top 36% among midfielders in Europe for completed passes, bottom 25% for winning tackles, doesn't tackle dribblers very often (bottom 14% for that), rarely attempts to take anyone on (bottom 17%), doesn't have all that many touches (58 percentile), and is virtually never involved in scoring goals (bottom 19% for goal-creating actions).

What Liverpool will like is that when Zubimendi is asked to do any of these things, he does them well.

His pass completion over short and medium distances is 90%. Those passes are essentially never blocked, either (top 5% for that).

And no, he doesn't challenge dribblers all that often but when he does, he loses very few of those duels - top 13% of midfielders for challenges lost. It's a similar story for take-ons as Zubimendi sits among the top 9% when he does actually try to dribble someone. He just doesn't do it very often.

He's rarely dispossessed, rarely miscontrols and wins the vast majority of his headers.

Now, compare that to Wataru Endo and you see why Liverpool see value in Zubimendi. Endo, for instance, is in the top 7% for tackles in the middle of the pitch and top 12% for tackles in the attacking third. He challenges three dribblers per 90 minutes which is in the top 8% of midfielders.

But he actually loses over two-thirds of those duels, losing over two challenges per 90 minutes. That's in the bottom four per cent for midfielders in Europe's top 5 leagues.

Endo wins more headers than Zubimendi, too, but is successful around 10% less than the Spaniard. The current Liverpool star is dispossessed more often, miscontrols more often, and sees a far higher percentage of his passes blocked by opponents.

In Jurgen Klopp's team - a team that prioritised intensity and risk-taking - Endo was a great fit. It didn't matter that he made mistakes because he took chances that benefitted the team's style. He created a shot through a defensive action once every six or so games - that's incredibly high (top 6%) and suited what Liverpool were doing.

But in Arne Slot's team - a team that wants control and possession above all - Zubimendi is far more preferable. Someone who creates a reliable base for everyone to play off, rather than a somewhat erratic risk-taker.

The order has changed and Zubimendi's reliability is exactly what Liverpool are after.