Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has sounded the alarm after the club’s failed attempt to sign Martin Zubimendi, warning that the setback could have long-term consequences.

Zubimendi, a 25-year-old defensive midfielder, has decided to stay at his boyhood club, Real Sociedad, despite Liverpool’s best efforts to persuade him to join the Anfield outfit. The Spaniard had previously rejected offers from Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona, and his decision to stay put has left Carragher concerned about the Reds’ prospects.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Carragher warned that Liverpool’s failure to sign Zubimendi could haunt them in the future. “It’s not a great look for Liverpool,” he said. “They’ve gone for this sitting midfield player, who is a different type of sitting midfield player to what Jürgen Klopp would have gone for.”

Carragher believes that Liverpool’s inability to sign a defensive midfielder has been a problem for the past three seasons, citing the failed attempts to sign Tchouameni, Caicedo, and Lavia. “They tried to buy Tchouameni who went to Real Madrid, they obviously lost Caicedo, Lavia, and now they’ve lost this player,” he said.

The Reds’ sporting director is reportedly furious at Zubimendi’s decision, which has left the club scrambling to find an alternative in the remaining days of the summer transfer window. Carragher agrees that the situation is far from ideal, saying, “The optics are not great, it doesn’t look good at all, and it’s a position Liverpool have been looking for, for probably three seasons.”

With the transfer window closing soon, Liverpool will need to act quickly to find a suitable replacement for Fabinho, who left the club for Al-Ittihad. Carragher’s warning serves as a reminder of the importance of strengthening the squad, especially in key positions like defensive midfield.