Manchester City scouting £51 million star as they look to beat Liverpool to sign midfielder: Reports
Premier League rivals Manchester City and Liverpool may extend their rivalry beyond the confines of the football pitch in the next transfer window. As per reports from Football Insider (via TBR Football), the two English giants are targeting Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi to strengthen their respective midfields.
Pep Guardiola and Manchester City were rocked by the season-ending injury to Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder Rodri, who had been a key cog in their wheel. The central midfielder made 50 appearances for his club last season, contributing an impressive nine goals and 14 assists.
Apart from his goal contributions, Rodri's positional play and tackling to break up the opponent's play make him nearly irreplaceable for Manchester City. Now, in his absence, the club will look to acquire another player who can play the role of a lone 6 perfectly. This is where Martin Zubimendi comes in.
However, with Liverpool also interested in the player, the Cityzens will not have a free run to sign him. The aforementioned report adds that Zubimendi idolized Xabi Alonso growing up and could be tempted to move to Anfield to follow in his footsteps. Arsenal are also said to be interested in the player, with Mikel Arteta a keen admirer of the 25-year-old's qualities.
Both Manchester City and Liverpool have regularly been sending scouts to watch Martin Zubimendi in action for Real Sociedad. However, with the player keen on staying on in Spain, as per the aforementioned report, their pursuit of the player has slowed down quite a bit. Neither side are willing to lose hope for one of the best midfielders, though.
Manchester City and Liverpool joint-top in key Premier League stat
Manchester City and Liverpool have established themselves as the two frontrunners for silverware each season in English football. Others like Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal have knocked on the door, but these two remain the big boys of the sport in England.
Apart from being contenders for the top spot in the points table, the Cityzens and the Reds are also in contention for another key stat. As per research from WhoScored.com, these two sides have conceded the fewest shots on target in the league this season.
With 36 shots conceded apiece, Manchester City and Liverpool are joint-top on this list, highlighting the two clubs' defensive solidity. Tottenham Hotspur are second with 37 shots conceded, while Manchester United and Nottingham Forest are joint third with 42 shots conceded.
The points table is a good reflection of this particular statistic between the two contenders. Liverpool currently lead the way with 28 points from 11 games, while City are in second place with 23 points from 11 games. With the two teams set to clash on Matchday 13 of the Premier League (Sunday, December 1), things are beginning to heat up.