Manchester United are reportedly ready to activate the release clause of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, splashing out a whopping £51 million (â¬60 million) to secure his services this summer.
The Red Devils have been busy in the transfer market, having already brought in Dutch international Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna and French centre-back Leny Yoro from Lille. With INEOS backing Erik ten Hag's ambitions, the club is actively seeking to bolster its squad to improve upon last season's eighth-placed finish.
Centre-back and midfield are the top priorities for the Old Trafford side, with a number of players linked to both positions. De Ligt, Branthwaite, and Silva are rumoured to be on the list for defence, while Ugarte and Amrabat are seen as potential midfield additions.
However, the latest reports suggest a strong interest in Zubimendi, the Euro 2024 winner who holds a â¬60 million release clause in his contract with Real Sociedad. Arsenal, initially interested, withdrew their bid earlier this summer due to "playing reasons", according to German journalist Christian Falk.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Manchester United are indeed interested in Zubimendi, but has cautioned that the deal is not straightforward.
"It's important to say that, for Zubimendi, there is an appreciation from the scouting department," Romano told GiveMeSport. "But Zubimendi is a complicated deal because of the price. There is a â¬60 million release clause, but the player is not desperate to leave the club. He has always been very happy at Real Sociedad. It's his city, it's his country, so that's why Zubimendi is not an easy deal. But there are several options and, for sure, Manchester United are considering doing something in the midfield."
Spanish reports have gone further, claiming that Manchester United have already placed the â¬60 million on the table to activate Zubimendi's release clause, demonstrating their serious intent.
The Red Devils are prepared to make a substantial investment in the Real Sociedad midfielder, and their offer is considered a "considerable temptation" for both the club and the player.
Zubimendi will carefully consider all his options before making a decision. However, if Real Sociedad rejects this initial offer, there is speculation that a higher bid could be forthcoming.
The highly-rated midfielder has received rave reviews from Spanish manager Luis de la Fuente, who labelled him one of the "two best central midfielders in the world", alongside Manchester City's Rodri.
"Rodri, Haaland and Messi... and by the way, last year I voted for Julián Ãlvarez, which caused a bit of a stir... but also for Bellingham and in third place for Modric," De la Fuente said when asked about his FIFA Best Award votes. "But Jude Bellingham, at that time, nobody knew about him except in Madrid, of course. He's had a sensational explosion. He's a different player. But anyway, Rodrigo has been my first choice this time because we have the two best central midfielders in the world: Rodri and Zubimendi."
With a £51 million offer on the table and his manager's glowing endorsements, Zubimendi's future looks uncertain. It remains to be seen if Manchester United can convince the highly-sought-after midfielder to make the move to Old Trafford this summer.
