Liverpool midfielder Gini Wijnaldum is reportedly waiting on the club to offer him a new deal.
According to Mike Verweij in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Wijnladum is interested in staying at Anfield in the long-term and is currently awaiting a proposal from Liverpool.
ANFIELD WATCH VERDICT
Wijnaldum turns 30 before the end of the calendar year and Liverpool have a huge decision to make. They can either offer him an extended deal and keep him at the club into his mid-30’s or cash in on him now and potentially sign a replacement before the end of the window.
In the 2018/19 campaign, Wijnaldum recorded a WhoScored rating of 6.89 in the Premier League, along with crucial goals in the Champions League on Liverpool’s way to European glory. Last season, however, his performances dipped and his overall rating dropped to 6.81, as he made less of an impact on the pitch.
This, albeit minor, regression could be a cause of concern heading into this season given his age. Liverpool may want to cash in and avoid him regressing further and his value decreasing significantly, which is why not offering him a contract and allowing him to join Barcelona may not be the worst move.
However, Wijnaldum has still been an integral member of Klopp’s squad for a number of years now with 30+ Premier League appearances in all four of his seasons at the club. This shows how important Klopp feels he is to the team, so keeping him around the training ground and the club for a few more years could also be worth considering.
It’s a tough decision for Liverpool and Klopp to make, so it could come down to what Wijnaldum wants to do in the end. If he is waiting for a contract offer and it doesn’t come, it will be interesting to see what he wants to do between then and the end of the window.
