Arne Slot has confessed Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi turned down a move to Liverpool this summer.

The Reds want a new defensive midfielder to improve on Wataru Endo and had set their sights on Spain international Zubimendi, but the 25-year-old continued his trend of rejecting a move away from Sociedad when pushed to make a decision.

“I said many times already that I think our squad is really strong and it is not so easy to find players that can help us or strengthen the squad,” Slot told a press conference ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League opener against Ipswich Town on Saturday. “Zubimendi was one of them, to be fair, but he decided not to come so we go forward with the ones we have, and those ones have done really well in pre-season.

“We’re in a good place and, in the background, Richard [Hughes, sporting director] is trying to strengthen the squad as he can. Unfortunately, Zubimendi decided not to come. [Hughes] made every effort, tried everything to bring him in, but if a player doesn’t want to come, it’s obvious that he is not coming.

“The whole team stayed together but lost Thiago, Joel [Matip] and Adrian. The rest of the team stayed together and that’s a very positive thing. We’re always talking about transfers but it’s also a very positive thing that we kept our players. They’re in a good place at the moment. I’ve said many times that Jurgen left the team in a good place. We’re trying to build from there.

“Last season they won a trophy with this team – we are aiming for the same this season. It’s not going to be easy as a lot of strong team in the Premier League who have strengthened their squad but we are looking forward to the challenge.”

By missing out on Zubimendi, Liverpool fans’ wait for a new signing this summer continues. Supporters have grown concerned at their club’s slow movement, but Slot was adamant signings are not necessary to help the team move forwards.

“That argument I don’t understand,” Slot insisted. “If you don’t strengthen the team you become weaker? That’s a bit weird as normally you’d either stay the same or I truly believe on the training ground you can help players and teams to improve. That’s what happened here in recent years. The training ground really helped the team improve.

“Maybe what you mean is that if the clubs around you do strengthen their team than maybe they become better, but it’s not always true that if you bring in new players the team becomes stronger. I also believe in general that every player in the team needs to have perspective on playing time, and if you keep bringing players in then sometimes the energy in the group goes down as well.

“We, and I mean Richard and me, are trying to strengthen the squad, and if we think we have found someone we try to bring them in. Unfortunately the one we thought could help us said no. In the background Richard is trying to improve the team but my main focus now is on Ipswich.”

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