Liverpool reportedly should not be resigned to playing against an Arsenal team with Martin Zubimendi in midfield next season. Reports emerged on Tuesday afternoon that the Gunners will sign the Real Sociedad player at the end of this season.

The Reds also thought that the Spain international would become theirs at one stage of last year's summer transfer window, but Zubimendi is still in San Sebastian. The definitiveness of any move to Arsenal is being played down elsewhere in the national media.

Arsenal are now said to be simply pursuing the player, as Liverpool and Manchester City reportedly were mere months ago. Even colder water is extinguishing these stories in Spain, especially in the Basque Country and Donostia-San Sebastian, with a potential U-turn on the cards when it comes to his seemingly 'agreed' switch to the Gunners.

The city's newspaper, Noticias de Gipuzkoa, which covers the whole province, cites the aforementioned reports from the Daily Mail and The Athletic when claiming that there was barely any new news to report yesterday (Tuesday). They insist the player will not decide on anything until the end of this season and has always made that clear, meaning he will not be changing his mind now, with Noticias de Gipuzkoa journalist Mikel Recalde incredulous at claims to the contrary in England.

READ MORE: Liverpool next five fixtures compared to Arsenal and Chelsea after Nottingham Forest draw

READ MORE: 'I've heard a lot' - Steve McManaman makes Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool contract claim

They acknowledge Zubimendi turned down Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Liverpool five months ago. Real Madrid, though, are considered the greatest danger to the player leaving, namely if they succeed in appointing Xabi Alonso as their new head coach to replace Carlo Ancelotti during the summer.

Zubimendi has previously described the former Liverpool midfielder as an idol and a role model. Alonso previously coached the player for his boyhood club's reverse team.

He only has 18 months on his contract with Bayer Leverkusen, which reportedly has a release clause that becomes active this summer. Alonso, of course, joined Real Madrid from Liverpool in 2014.