Liverpool target Martin Zubimendi's current club make unusual release clause request amid midfielder's links to the Reds - Reports

Liverpool target Martin Zubimendi has been given an ultimatum by Real Sociedad if he intends to complete his move to England. According to the Times, the Basque club have told the midfielder that he must pay the release clause himself if he wants to leave his boyhood club.

Zubimendi, who joined Sociedad's youth setup as a 12-year-old back in 2011, has been told he will have to pay the release clause of £51 million in the LaLiga offices in Madrid himself if he wants the move to Liverpool to go ahead. Release clauses are common in Spain, but they need to be triggered by the players if they want to end their current contracts with their respective clubs.

This statement by the LaLiga club has cranked up the pressure on the in-demand Spaniard. The Basque-born midfielder is currently battling an emotional battle - if he wants to stay at his boyhood club or move to Anfield in a deal that equates to €60 million.

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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has 'good idea' for the No. 6 spot

The Merseyside club missed out on their first two targets for the position last summer as Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia both opted to join their rivals, Chelsea. Liverpool ended up opting for a seemingly short-term signing of 31-year-old Wataru Endo for the defensive midfield position.

In pre-season, they have experimented with Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo, Alexis Mac Allister, and even Dominik Szoboszlai in the position. However, Arne Slot said that he has a good idea of which No. 6 suits his system best.

“I have quite a good idea which player suits there, at this moment, in my opinion, best,” Slot said (via Yahoo). "But like I said, we are only one week working together with some players. So, sometimes you feel, ‘Oh, this is the best No.6,’ but then the combination with the other two might maybe not work out that well."

Liverpool's search for a No. 6 for new head coach Arne Slot's system saw them identify Zubimendi as the best fit. However, Sociedad are playing hardball with the Spanish international in an attempt to keep their star midfielder.

According to the same report in the Times by Paul Joyce, Liverpool and the midfielder have an understanding that this situation can't carry on for a long time. With the domestic season in both England and Spain set to get underway this week, both parties have reportedly agreed to keep Wednesday (August 14) as the deadline.

Real Sociedad, who have qualified for the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League, have already sold defender Robin Le Normand to Atletico Madrid. Zubimendi's midfield partner Mikel Merino is a target for Arsenal. With the Liverpool target's future out of their control, they have begun to crank up the pressure in a bid to keep their core together.