Barcelona are rumoured to be interested in Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, who has yet to sign a new contract with the club. The Dutch international moved to Anfield from Newcastle United in 2016 and his current deal with the Premier League champions expires at the end of next season.
As per Algemeen Dagblad (via Express), new Barca manager Ronald Koeman, who previously managed Georginio Wijnaldum when he was the manager of the Netherlands national team, has told the Liverpool midfielder to not sign a new contract with Liverpool. Koeman is set to axe several first-team players from the Barcelona squad, and bring in some players of his choosing, one of whom is Wijnaldum.
The Dutch midfielder has played an instrumental part in Liverpool’s recent successes and will be a big loss for the Reds if he makes an exit.
Georginio Wijnaldum: Is he what Barcelona need in midfield?
The current Barcelona team is a shadow of its glorious teams of the past, and one area that severely lacks quality is the central midfield. The likes of Ivan Rakitic and Arturo Vidal are well past their peak, while youngsters like Carles Alena and Riqui Puig lack the experience to be first-choice midfielders for a side like Barcelona. The Catalan giants could form their midfield around Dutch starlet Frenkie de Jong, who hasn’t got the perfect platform yet to show his capabilities.
The upcoming season could also see the exit of Sergio Busquets, or a diminished role in the Barca squad, as the experienced defensive midfielder has shown a steady decline over the last 18 months.
The signing of Georginio Wijnaldum could be a smart one by Barca. It’s quite clear that de Jong, as well as Puig, will play a key part in the Barca midfield of the present and future, and a midfielder like Wijnaldum could add experience and energy in the centre of the pitch. Wijnaldum has exceptional work-rate and is a midfielder who can offer something in defence and attack.
The 29-year-old Dutchman is an excellent passer of the ball, who can string together a few quick passes and move forward. Wijnaldum can also add goals from midfield, which has been lacking in the Barcelona team over the last few seasons.
And given the financial instability currently at the club, a key player on an expected bargain deal is something which will not be a gamble for the present under-fire board. He will add strength and character to the beleaguered squad and could end up being a smart signing for the next couple of seasons at least.
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