Liverpool tried and in the end did not signal Actual Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi in the summertime. Now, Arne Slot has defined why he was eager on the switch.
After Liverpool had a £51 million bid turned down, Slot admitted in August that the Reds “tried every thing” to deliver Zubimendi to Merseyside in the summertime.
Having turned Liverpool down in the summertime, the holding midfielder has now “just about accomplished” a deal to signal for Arsenal subsequent summer season, in accordance with the Mail‘s Sami Mokbel.
Talking to TNT Sports activities, Slot mentioned how he likes his defensive midfielders to play and offered an perception into the participant Mikel Arteta could possibly be getting.
“I desire them to get the ball behind these two,” Slot mentioned in reference to his deepest-lying midfielders standing within the pocket between the opposition midfield and assault.
“Due to this fact these two (Liverpool centre-backs) are so vital that we will discover them behind these two (first line of opposition press), as a substitute of asking the ball over right here or there or there (broad).
“We desire them hold extra in midfield.
“I even suppose the participant that we wished to herald – I believe it’s out within the open that a lot – was additionally a participant that was actually comfy, remains to be a participant that’s actually comfy on the ball and may deliver the ball from our final line to our forwards.”
That participant he references is in fact Zubimendi.
Ryan Gravenberch’s “particular high quality”
With the Spaniard not making the transfer, Liverpool turned to Ryan Gravenberch to tackle the position of the Reds’ No. 6.
Watching a clip of the Dutchman turning his man and driving into the opposition half, Slot commented: “This can be a particular high quality Ryan has, that he can flip away from his man.
“He is likely one of the few holding midfielders, pivots, the way in which you need to name it on this nation, that may create an overload by a dribble. Largely these gamers move rather a lot.
“Ryan is nice in passing as properly however to create an overload by a dribble, you don’t see this many instances as a No. 6.”
Ex-Man United defender Rio Ferdinand additionally gave Slot the chance to underline simply why the defensive midfielder is such an important a part of his facet.
Liverpool’s coach responded: “They’re vital to me however they’re particularly vital to our attackers. We really feel we now have attackers which might be actually particular, the entrance three, and we’ve bought 5 or 6 of them.
“So the one factor we now have to ensure is that these gamers are available promising positions having the ball rather a lot, and subsequently you want two No. 6s that may deliver the ball in the direction of them.
“Right here you see Virgil (Van Dijk) with the ball. I believe he’s among the best, perhaps the perfect participant who can deliver the ball in the direction of the midfield.
“After which with Macca (Alexis Mac Allister) and Ryan, we now have two distinctive gamers who can deliver the balls to Mo (Salah), to Lucho (Diaz), to Cody (Gakpo), to Darwin (Nunez), to Jota.
“Due to this fact, we’ve chosen to herald two gamers that have been perhaps a bit extra attacking-minded previously.
“So Macca performed loads of time as a No. 10 for Brighton. Ryan at all times performed as a bit extra offensive midfielder, however they’re so comfy on the ball.”
