Real Madrid set to land playmaker handpicked by Arne Slot

Liverpool's ability to 'identify' and 'monitor' players is second to none as no players were brought in during January.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - now at Paris Saint-Germain - was assessed as a possible recruit for the Reds, but beyond that initial phase of interest, fans were left with nothing to get excited about; there would be no fresh face at arriving at Anfield.

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On the whole, the club's lack of transfer activity left fans disappointed, as there are some clear areas where the team could improve and after a relatively quiet summer window, it was thought that Liverpool could pounce if an 'opportunistic move' arose.

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Nonetheless, nothing happened, although the club will seemingly be looking at doing the bulk of its business in the upcoming summer, and one player that the Reds missed out on last season - Martin Zubimendi - is likely to remain high on the club's shortlist.

Unfortunately, however, the Spaniard is now reportedly on another team's shortlist, and if they make a move for the defensive midfielder, then Liverpool could be left in the dark again.

New twist in the neverending Zubimendi saga

It was announced last month that Liverpool's ideal defensive midfield target was on the cusp of moving to the Reds' direct Premier League title rivals Arsenal.

Sky Sports reported its understanding that Zubimendi has a £51m release clause and in preparation for the loss of Thomas Partey and Jorginho as a result of their contracts expiring at the end of the season, it seemed as though the Gunners had Zubimendi in their sights as a long-term replacement for the pair.

Of course, the news was received poorly by Liverpool fans because the Spaniard had previously declined Liverpool on the basis that he didn't want to give up the Basque culture while living near the mountains of northern Spain, opting instead to remain at his boyhood club Real Sociedad.

As such a proposed move to north London felt like a kick in the teeth. Liverpool is somewhat near the countryside of the Peak District and north Wales, meanwhile, Arsenal football club is about as metropolitan as you can get.

Nonetheless, no news of the Zubimendi to Arsenal transfer links has surfaced since, leaving fans open to the prospect that Liverpool could still secure his signature - as the Reds are currently edging the Gunners in this season's title race, showcasing how exciting it would be for the 26-year-old to work under Arne Slot.

However, it has now been reported by Spanish news outlet Diario AS (via Transfer News Live) that Zubimendi is one of Real Madrid's targets for a busy summer transfer window.

Liverpool fans have already been haunted by the Spanish giants in plenty of contests on the pitch, and it seems as though Trent Alexander-Arnold's future might already be resigned to them, as his contract talks with Liverpool have so far failed to be successful.

But while the club might have had some hope if they were battling with Arsenal for Zubimendi's favour, it would be incredibly difficult to persuade him to leave his homeland when the La Liga leaders are interested in making the move.

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Now that the January transfer window is closed, no clubs will be allowed to do business until June, but plenty of developments could still take place between now and then, and Liverpool now find themselves in a triad of clubs interested in taking him from Sociedad.

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