Arne Slot hints at why Liverpool have backed away from Arsenal target Martin Zubimendi

Liverpool missed retired connected signing Martin Zubimendi past summertime and Arne Slot has spoken astir the failed move, with Arsenal are present eyeing the Real Sociedad midfielder

Arne Slot has hailed Ryan Gravenberch, suggesting the Dutchman's awesome performances has origin Liverpool to driblet their involvement successful Martin Zubimendi.

Liverpool attempted to marque Zubimendi their archetypal caller signing nether Slot implicit the summertime and were prepared to wage his £51million merchandise clause, but the midfielder yet decided to enactment astatine his boyhood nine Real Sociedad.

The Reds ended up not signing different midfielder and Gravenberch has been utilized successful an unfamiliar holding midfield role. And Slot has been hugely impressed by the mode Gravenberch has taken to his caller role, with Zubimendi present said to beryllium close to agreeing to articulation Arsenal adjacent summer.

"The [No.6 roles] are important to me, but they are particularly important for our attackers," helium told TNT Sports. "We consciousness we person attackers that are beauteous peculiar - the beforehand 3 - and we've got 5 oregon six of them.

"So the lone happening we person to marque definite is that these players travel into promising positions having the shot a lot. Therefore you request 2 sixes who tin bring the shot to them. With Macca (Alexis Mac Allister) and Ryan, we person 2 players who tin bring the shot to the likes of Mo Salah, to Cody Gakpo, to Darwin Nunez, to Diogo Jota.

"And we person chosen to bring successful 2 players who were possibly a spot much attacking-minded successful the past. Macca played a batch of times arsenic a No.10 for Brighton, Ryan played much arsenic an attacking midfielder but helium is comfy connected the ball.

"I adjacent deliberation the subordinate we wanted to bring successful (Zubimendi) - I deliberation that’s beauteous overmuch retired successful the unfastened present - helium was besides a subordinate who was truly comfortable. He’s inactive a subordinate who could bring the shot from the past enactment to our forwards.

"This is simply a peculiar prime Ryan has. The quality to crook distant from his man. He is 1 of a fewer holding midfielders, pivots, immoderate you telephone them successful this country, who tin make an overload by a dribble. Most of these players walk a batch but to make an overload by a dribble, you don't spot that much.

"You don't spot that overmuch arsenic a No.6. I deliberation the spot of this squad is that we support arsenic 11. He has 2 centre-backs down him, too. Virgil van Dijk helps a batch with that excessively successful the Dutch connection to marque it wide to him."

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