Sport has recently mentioned that Barcelona are closing in on Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum after agreeing on a three-year deal with the player in this off-season. With just a year left to run in his Anfield contract, the Catalans are hoping to sign the Dutch midfield ace for a little more than €15m which could rise to €20m (via Sport).
Wijnaldum’s Incredible Form Under Jurgen Klopp’s Tutelage In Recent Seasons
Wijnaldum has been playing some of the best football of his career for the Merseyside club over the past 18 months. He played an instrumental role behind Liverpool’s recent UEFA Champions League and Premier League triumphs but has since refused to pen a contract extension with the Reds.
The Rotterdam-born player took part in 47 matches for Jurgen Klopp’s side last season, netting six goals in the process across all competitions. The 61-time Netherlands international managed to influence the game at both ends of the field as he averaged 1.0 tackles, 0.5 interceptions, 0.8 clearances, 1.0 shots, 0.6 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per game in the league and European football. Wijnaldum hardly gives away the ball in midfield after he has made 90.8% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
The former Newcastle United midfield enforcer has matured into a world-class player over the past couple of seasons. Hence, the 29-year-old could prove to be a quality addition to the Barca squad and will go a long way in helping the Catalan club to cope with the departures of Ivan Rakitic and Arturo Vidal this summer.
What Will The Netherlands International Add To Ronald Koeman’s Side At The Nou Camp?
Wijnaldum knows how to be effective in Koeman’s system, having played under the Dutch manager’s guidance at the international stage. He excels at keeping things moving at the centre of the park, but can sometimes lack invention with his passes in the final third.
The Dutchman has even managed to contribute by scoring the odd goal for the Reds last season and has shown incredible fitness to stay so active in recent years. Wijnaldum will be an excellent acquisition for Barca this summer as he will add plenty of energy and dynamism to Koeman’s squad.
Plus, the Liverpool star will offer some serious competition for the likes of Miralem Pjanić, Frenkie de Jong, Riqui Puig and Sergio Busquets at Catalonia next season. At 29, the experienced Dutch player has still got a lot of football left in him to play at a high level, so he could turn out to be a shrewd, short-term addition for the Spanish team ahead of the new season. Wijnaldum is an accurate distributor of the ball, so he shouldn’t have too many problems settling into Barca’s style of play at the Nou Camp in the coming years.
