'Selfish' Martin Zubimendi speaks out on Liverpool transfer

Liverpool's endeavour to find a new permanent defensive midfielder has been well-documented.

Be it trying to get Aurelien Tchouameni from Real Madrid, Moises Caicedo from Brighton or Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, all of the club's attempts over the last few years have failed.

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However, when the Reds were in communication with Zubimendi during the summer, it looked for a long time that they might have finally found the answer to their problems.

Sociedad had agreed terms with Liverpool after the club triggered his release clause, but the search for an agreement with the player on personal terms dragged on for a subsequent week before the Reds were eventually rejected.

It left Arne Slot with a problem to solve, and his solution was to play Ryan Gravenberch in the role - a move that has worked out remarkably well, although the Dutchman is arguably being relied upon too much and so the search for some extra assistance remains.

Zubimendi opens up on rejecting Liverpool

Opting to stay in the Basque Country instead of playing a vital role for Arne Slot's Champions League and Premier League table-topping Reds, Zubimendi remained at Sociedad.

The decision was a frustrating pill for Liverpool fans to take, but in the end, the loyalty he showed to his boyhood club was admirable if nothing else.

In an exclusive interview with Spanish news outlet El Diario Vasco, Zubimendi has revealed a new insight into his decision and what his future plans may look like.

He said: "I went on vacation, and it caught me by surprise. It wasn’t something I had planned. I reacted when the situation arose. It was an uncomfortable time for me but I weighed the pros and cons and concluded that the best option was to stay.

"I looked at my personal progression, who I am, and the club’s project. I stayed because I knew this season would be important for me in the team, and I still had steps to take. It wasn’t that hard of a decision.

“There were many reasons for my decision, but I was selfish and thought about what was best for me. And that was staying.

"I don’t believe in “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunities... If you’re good and want to achieve something, it will come to you. There’s no need to rush."

Will Liverpool go back for Zubimendi?

In context, it perhaps makes a little more sense as to why Zubimendi made the decision that he did. Moving to a new country, when you are perfectly comfortable where you are, would be a significant decision to make and he wasn't ready to take that step.

The 25-year-old has many of the attributes that Liverpool are looking for, but if he felt he wasn't ready for a significant move, then it seems right that Liverpool pulled away from negotiations.

Given Liverpool's need for a defensive midfielder, it makes sense that the club would be open to the possibility of trying again for Zubimendi, but while he felt it was in his best interest to be selfish in his decision, Liverpool may likewise move on and focus their efforts on other players, now that the Spaniard has laid his cards out on the table.

Current reports in the Athletic suggest that Zubimendi might be closer to leaving this season, but this latest update suggests that he is perfectly happy where he is for the time being and he will take some convincing if he is to eventually branch out from Spain.

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