Liverpool told Mikel Arteta to blame for transfer heartache after secret Arsenal chat

Arsenal completed the signing of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad this summer, but the Spain international was on the verge of joining Liverpool 12 months ago

Jamie Carragher thinks Mikel Arteta is the reason Martin Zubimendi didn’t sign for Liverpool last year. The Spanish midfielder, who sealed a move to Arsenal this summer, had been on the brink of signing for the Reds in 2024.

Liverpool had arranged a £51million deal with Real Sociedad and agreed personal terms with Zubimendi. Everything was ready to go – until the 26-year-old abruptly pulled the plug on the move at the eleventh hour.

Publicly, Zubimendi claimed his choice was rooted in loyalty to his boyhood team. Carragher, however, suspects a different story. He believes Arteta subtly persuaded the player to wait for Arsenal, planting the seeds for a move to north London long before it was confirmed.

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“I’m convinced now that Arteta stole him from Liverpool,” Carragher told the Stick to Football podcast. “He’d agreed to come to Liverpool. He said he was coming – and at the last minute he said, ‘I don’t want to come. I’ll have another year [at Sociedad].’

“Arteta’s from the Basque area. There’s no doubt he’s been into him and said, ‘We’re signing [Mikel] Merino this season, we’ll come for you next season.’

“The deal was done about halfway through the season. He definitely stopped [Liverpool’s] deal. That’s why Zubimendi didn’t go to Liverpool. I think Arteta got into him.”

Arteta was born in San Sebastian – home to Real Sociedad – and even played briefly for the club, joining from Rangers in 2004 before leaving for Everton just six months later. Fast forward to late 2024, and he was reportedly working discreetly with his former side to secure Zubimendi for £55m.

The transfer became official in July, with the Spaniard now expected to feature alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in a potentially formidable Arsenal midfield.

Missing out on Zubimendi was a major disappointment in an otherwise subdued Liverpool summer transfer window 12 months ago. Federico Chiesa was their only major signing, and the Italian forward found minutes hard to come by.

Still, it hardly derailed them – Arne Slot led Liverpool to a dominant Premier League triumph, finishing 10 points ahead of Arsenal to claim the club’s 20th league title.

This year, Arteta and Zubimendi aim to close that gap, though Liverpool’s heavy summer spending of nearly £300m – on Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Hugo Ekitike, and with deals for the likes of Marc Guehi, Giovanni Leoni, and Alexander Isak potentially to come – makes that challenge steeper.

That said, Liverpool’s campaign began with a stumble in the Community Shield, losing to Crystal Palace on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Goals from Ekitike and Frimpong, along with an eye-catching display from Wirtz, gave a glimpse of what Slot’s retooled side might deliver, but there are perhaps one or two tactical kinks to iron out first.

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