Tottenham and Everton target Giorginio Wijnaldum is the latest midfielder Liverpool are after this summer with the Reds reportedly interested in completing a deal for the Newcastle United player by the end of the week.
Liverpool have been linked with a host of midfielders this summer as they look to bolster their line-up at the centre of the park ahead of the new season. Having failed in their pursuit of Piotr Zielinski and Mahmoud Dahoud, the Reds have set out to lure Newcastle United’s Giorginio Wijnaldum. The £25 million rated Dutch international has been rumoured to favour a move away from St. James’ Park after his side got relegated at the end of the 2015-16 campaign.
Liverpool have made a move for Georginio Wijnaldum, the Newcastle United midfielder, and are hoping a fee can be agreed this week.
— Tony Barrett (@TonyBarretTimes) July 17, 2016
While Newcastle are strongly holding on to their price tag of £25 million for the player, Liverpool believe they can strike a deal in the region of £20 million for the Dutchman. The Magpies signed the 25-year-old last year from Dutch Champions’ PSV Eindhoven for £14.5 million and want to accrue a significant profit on his possible sale. With a move for Zielinski falling through and Dahoud happy staying at Borussia Monchengladbach, the Reds will want to swiftly complete formalities sealing Wijnaldum’s transfer from the Championship club. Liverpool have also been linked with his team-mate Moussa Sissoko this summer with the player’s stock rising leaps and bounds following a stellar performance at the Euros.
Wijnaldum was the top scorer for Newcastle last season with 11 goals in a disappointing season that saw the Magpies drop down to the Championship for the second time in the past decade. The Dutchman was instrumental in creating 48 chances throughout the course of the 2015-16 campaign while engineering 1049 passes at an accuracy of 85%, with 69% of those passes completed with an intent of going forward.
His stats certainly indicate his compatibility with Klopp’s high intensity football and having performed well at Newcastle, the in-house quality at Liverpool should bring out the best in the midfielder.
Mass exodus at Newcastle?
Rafa Benitez, having committed to stay at Newcastle and help them get back to the Premier League, is struggling to hold on to some of their star players who could prove to be valuable if they are to present a strong case for promotion. The Championship isn’t painting a rosy picture for a number of Newcastle’s international stars like Wijnaldum and Sissoko who are forcing moves out of the club amidst interest in the market for their services.
Despite calls from the manager asking him to stay, it appears that Wijnaldum has no desire to ply his trade in the second tier of English football and would like to earn a move out this summer. A move to Everton looked likely as it gave Wijnaldum the opportunity to unite with his countryman in Ronald Koeman. However, the Toffees have since slipped out of the radar after Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool arrived onto the scene to sign the former PSV captain.
