Real Madrid could land another blow on Liverpool after entering the race to sign a player deemed perfect for Arne Slot, and reports have detailed two advantages Los Blancos hold.
Real Madrid have haunted Liverpool on and off the field in recent years. The Spanish giants twice sunk the Reds in Champions League finals and dumped Jurgen Klopp’s side out at the quarter-final stages in the 2020/21 season.
Away from the pitch, Real Madrid poached Liverpool’s No 1 midfield target in each of the 2022 and 2023 summer windows (Aurelien Tchouameni, Jude Bellingham).
Trent Alexander-Arnold is Real Madrid’s primary transfer target for the summer of 2025 and can sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas sides from January 1 – assuming a new deal at Liverpool isn’t ironed out before then, of course.
And according to fresh updates from TBR Football and Spanish outlet AS, Real Madrid could launch a torpedo into Liverpool’s plans yet again.
Both outlets state Real Madrid have entered the race to sign Real Sociedad midfielder, Martin Zubimendi, in the 2025 summer window.
Zubimendi was previously identified by Liverpool’s recruitment team as the perfect player to pull the strings in an Arne Slot midfield.
Accordingly, the Reds were willing to pay Zubimendi’s €60m release clause last summer, though the player ultimately chose to remain loyal to his boyhood club.
Liverpool’s interest in Zubimendi has not subsided and with good reason given he’s been earmarked as Slot’s ideal signing.
TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Fraser Gillan, has repeatedly been told Liverpool are more than willing to go back in for Zubimendi in January if the player softens his stance on leaving.
But according to TBR Football, Zubimendi remains just as uninterested in leaving Spain for England as he was in the summer.
Real Madrid’s two advantages over Liverpool
Zubimendi’s unwillingness to relocate to England gives Real Madrid a clear advantage and Carlo Ancelotti’s side are said to view Zubimendi as a worthy heir to Luke Modric.
The legendary midfielder, 39, is out of contract next summer and Zubimendi is being lined up as his successor.
What’s more, AS point to the excellent relationship between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad that could aid Madrid’s cause.
Real Madrid signed Asier Illarramendi (2013) and Alvaro Odriozola (2018) from Real Sociedad