Jamie Carragher has accused Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta of sabotaging Liverpool’s transfer deal for Martin Zubimendi.
The Premier League champions tried to sign Zubimendi from Real Sociedad last summer but the Spanish midfielder ended up rejecting the move.
Zubimendi finally completed a move to England earlier in the summer, joining Liverpool’s rivals Arsenal for around £60m.
Arsenal reportedly agreed a deal for the 26-year-old at the start of the year and Carragher believes it was Arteta who convinced Zubimendi to snub Liverpool and hold out for a move to the Emirates Stadium.
‘I’m convinced now that Mikel Arteta definitely stole him from Liverpool,’ Carragher said on the Stick to Football podcast. ‘He had agreed to come to Liverpool.
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‘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].”
‘Mikel 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. Arteta definitely stopped [Liverpool’s] deal.
‘That’s why Zubimendi didn’t go to Liverpool. I think Arteta got into him. Listen, I’m not having a go at him, that’s just management.’
Arsenal fans have high hopes for Zubimendi, who made over 200 appearances for Real Sociedad and helped Spain win Euro 2024 last summer.
Zubimendi is one of six signing Arteta has welcomed to the club this season along with Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Cristian Mosquera.
While much of the focus has been on new Arsenal striker Gyokeres, signed from Sporting for £64m, Danny Murphy believes Zubimendi is an equally important addition.
‘Gyokeres is a powerhouse and he is going to score a lot of goals, there is no doubt about that,’ the former England midfielder told BBC Sport.
‘But Zubimendi is just as important a signing because Thomas Partey was such an big player for them in midfield last season.
‘With Jorginho going too, bringing in Christian Norgaard was a clever bit of business.
‘He is a really clever footballer, who does his defensive work really well. They will be there or thereabouts again.’
Arsenal begin their Premier League campaign on Sunday with a trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.
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