The Daily Mail has recently stated that Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum is set to hold talks over his future with Jurgen Klopp amid current interest from Barcelona this summer. The Dutch midfielder has got less than a year left to run in his Anfield contract, so Klopp will now sit down with the player and have a discussion about his long-term future in the north-west of England (via The Daily Mail).
Wijnaldum’s Magnificent Form At Merseyside In Recent Seasons
The Rotterdam-born workhorse has enjoyed an excellent couple of seasons at Merseyside after producing many dominant displays at the heart of the Liverpool midfield. He has struck up a solid midfield partnership with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho at Anfield so far. The Dutch international has often managed to keep both Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain out of the first-team in the previous campaign.
Wijnaldum appeared in 47 matches for the Reds in the last term, netting six goals in the process across various competitions. The 29-year-old established himself as a top performer at the centre of the park as he averaged 1.0 tackles, 0.5 interceptions, 0.8 clearances, 1.0 shots, 0.6 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League last season. He also took care of the ball well as evident from his pass completion rate of 90.8% in the top tier of England (stats via whoscored).
The talented midfielder helped his side win the Champions League last year before going on to secure the league title with the Reds earlier this summer. He has developed a winning mentality at Anfield over the past 18 months. Thus, Wijnaldum might fancy a change of scenery in search of a new challenge this summer.
What Does The Dutch Midfielder Bring To The Table?
Wijnaldum is a dynamic midfielder who hardly gives away the ball at the centre of the park. He has often been given the responsibility to lead the press in Klopp’s midfield due to his hunger to nick the ball away from the opposition. The 61-time Dutch international has also scored several important goals for the Reds in recent seasons which has made him such a fan-favourite at Anfield. However, father time is catching up with him, so there are some question marks over his long-term worth at Liverpool.
Why The Reds Need To Keep Wijnaldum Beyond This Summer
Based on his recent form, Wijnaldum has become an irreplaceable member of Klopp’s first-team. He has been remarkably consistent in terms of his performance levels on the field. The experienced Dutchman adds a lot of energy and dynamism to the Reds midfield which is one of the many reasons why Klopp should consider keeping hold of him beyond this summer.
Even if Thiago Alcantara arrives from Bayern Munich this summer, Liverpool need to have Wijnaldum in their squad if they want to retain their Premier League crown and challenge for the Champions League trophy in the upcoming campaign.
