So, that's it, then? Liverpool's long-running search for a specialist No.6 is over - at least for this summer - and it has ended in further embarrassment for the club, with Martin Zubimendi rejecting the chance to move to Anfield, even though the Reds were willing to pay his €60 million (£52m/$63m) buy-out clause.
The snub represents a public relations disaster for Liverpool's revamped recruitment team, who have yet to sign a single player this summer or agree renewals with Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, all of whom will be out of contract at the end of the season.
There is some sympathy among the frustrated supporters for new sporting director Richard Hughes, in the sense that Zubimendi had expressed his willingness to leave San Sebastian before performing a most unexpected U-turn. However, the fanbase is immensely frustrated by the fact that there is reportedly no Plan B.
The strategy was apparently 'Zubimendi or nobody', meaning that for the third summer transfer window in a row, Liverpool have failed to land the defensive midfielder they were so desperately seeking, after missing out on Aurelien Tchouameni in 2022, before losing out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea last year.
Hughes & Co. reportedly believe that there isn't a Zubimendi alternative on the market that would do a better job in Slot's preferred double-pivot than any of the players presently at Anfield - but is that really the case? GOAL breaks down all of the remaining options below...