Liverpool have identified Real Sociedad’s Martín Zubimendi as their first major signing of the summer. It is understood the Euro 2024 winner with Spain, who has a reported release clause of £51m, is viewed as a viable option to fill the defensive midfield role.

That position has been in need of strengthening since the departure of Fabinho 12 months ago. The Japan international Wataru Endo was brought in from Stuttgart late in the window for £16m after Liverpool missed out on a couple of other targets but the now 31-year-old was viewed as a short-term solution.

For a large proportion of last season Alexis Mac Allister was deployed as a No 6 and last month Liverpool rejected a £12m bid from Marseille for Endo. A move for the 25-year-old Zubimendi would be the first significant business for the new sporting director, Richard Hughes, who said last month that July would be quiet owing to ongoing international tournaments but August would bring “a crescendo” of transfer activity.