Martín Zubimendi ordered to pay his own £51m Real Sociedad release clause at LaLiga offices to seal Liverpool transfer

LIVERPOOL have told Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi to trigger his own release clause, according to reports.

That comes after the two clubs hit a stumbling block over a fee.

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Zubimendi could be forced into an awkward position[/caption]

All players are required to have a release clause in their contract in accordance with Spanish law.

But activating a Spanish clause can be far from simple, and does not work in the same way that clauses do in other European leagues.

In the case of Zubimendi, his £51million clause can only be activated by himself, meaning he would have to deposit Liverpool’s funds to LaLiga‘s offices in Madrid.

Such a move is a rare occurrence as it can damage the relationship between the player and the club they are departing from.

As a youth product of Sociedad, Zubimendi would be reluctant to hurt his relationship with both the club and their fans.

Manchester United utilised a similar clause when they signed Ander Herrera in 2014, with Herrera paying his release fee himself.

The Times report that Liverpool are keen to bring an end to the transfer saga and would like the player to trigger his own release clause.

Sociedad are playing hard ball having already sold Robin Le Normand to Atletico Madrid for £25m.

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They may also lose Mikel Merino to Arsenal for a similar fee.

They would be reticent to lose Le Normand, Zubimendi and Merino in the same window given they are three of the team’s most important players.

It appears as though they are taking the position that if they are to lose Zubimendi, it should look as though their hand was forced.

Both clubs will be keen to have a final decision by the time they begin their respective seasons.

Liverpool start their new Premier League campaign against Ipswich on Saturday, with Sociedad facing Rayo Vallecano in their season opener the following day.