Liverpool handed another devastating transfer blow as furious fans call out Richard Hughes

Liverpool fans have been left furious at reports that another transfer has fallen through - and have directed their ire at the club's sporting director Richard Hughes.

The Reds identified Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi as their key target last week, but the 25-year-old ultimately decided to stay in Spain after his current club convinced him to remain.

The news came as a bitter blow for the Reds, who were in the market for a midfielder and were said to be ready to trigger Zubimendi's £51 million release clause.

But the way in which release clauses work in Spanish football - the buying club pays the release clause to the player themselves, who then triggers it with the selling club - meant the entire move hinged on whether or not the Spaniard actually wanted to move to Anfield.

According to reports, the Reds are no longer in the market for a midfielder after failing to sign Zubimendi.

It then emerged that they had turned their attentions to Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who was reportedly valued at €40 million by the selling club.

A bizarre detail of any deal was then reported, which would have seen Bournemouth pay a loan fee to Valencia to sign the goalkeeper - who would be a permanent Liverpool player - for two seasons, before he then moved to Anfield.

But any such talk now appears to be irrelevant, with Tribuna Deportiva journalist Hector Gomez claiming that the Reds have failed to meet Valencia's valuation of the player and the transfer is therefore off.

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As a result of the latest development - as well as the Reds failing to secure a deal for Zubimendi - Liverpool fans have become furious at the club's newly-appointed sporting director Richard Hughes.

One fan wrote: "Can we have a press conference for Richard Hughes instead of Slot. He needs to be answering the questions at the moment."

A second echoed that view: "If Liverpool have been making it clear that Arne Slot is 'head coach' and not 'the manager', why is he the one answering questions about the lack of the signings?"

A third said: "Arne Slot, as the coach, did his job to prepare the team for the new season. Richard Hughes/Michael Edwards did not do their job to strengthen the squad and back the coach for the new season."

A fourth added: "I have to say, not a fan of this Richard Hughes fella so far."