Liverpool chief Richard Hughes holds all the aces in eye-watering January transfer battle

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes will sooner or later need to set about revamping Arne Slot’s squad, with some stars ageing and others approaching the end of their contracts.

Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, who has a hefty £50million release clause, is a talent near the top of the Reds’ wish list. And their interest in the Spaniard is well known, having come within a whisker of signing him before the start of this season.

Zubimendi reportedly opted to stay with his boyhood club on the condition that the door would be left ajar for a future move. Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid are the trio most regularly cited as holding a firm interest in the 25-year-old.

Though a scrap with Los Blancos and Pep Guardiola’s City is never an ideal position to be in, Liverpool should feel good about their chances of landing Zubimendi when taking the big picture into account.

For one, they have come close to signing him before. Only a few months ago Hughes and co put in significant legwork to effectively strike a deal. And Zubimendi’s decision was said to be made more out of respect for Sociedad, who had just lost two other key players, than distaste for Liverpool.

On top of that, AS have reported that Zubimendi would favour a move to the Premier League over joining a rival La Liga side.

The player’s preference gives Liverpool and City a natural edge over Spanish giants Real Madrid, who see Zubimendi as the natural heir to recently retired midfielder Toni Kroos.

That still leaves the two Premier League duo to battle it out. But Liverpool should once again like their prospects, with The Telegraph reporting that Zubimendi has reservations about a move to the Etihad Stadium due to the possibility it could force him to play back-up to Rodri.

The Ballon d’Or winner is out for the season but he could block Zubimendi’s path to regular football once he returns, given they occupy a similar position in midfield.

Getting into Slot’s Liverpool team would be no mean feat either, although with two deep-lying midfield spots to fill, and neither Ryan Gravenberch nor Alexis Mac Allister hitting Rodri heights at this stage in their careers, Zubimendi’s chances of breaking in would be higher in the long run.

And that’s not to mention Liverpool’s current league position. Slot’s men are absolutely flying with a comfortable buffer at the top of the table, while City are scrambling to stay within touching distance of the top four.

If Zubimendi is to leave Sociedad this winter, the time may be right for the Reds to go all in.