Liverpool

Liverpool: Sky Sports man question why Klopp didn’t try and land Wijnaldum

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Image for Liverpool: Sky Sports man question why Klopp didn’t try and land Wijnaldum

Sky Sports pundit Dan Bardell has questioned why Liverpool weren’t keen on re-signing Georginio Wijnaldum last summer.

It’s pretty clear within the media that Liverpool are in need of at least one new midfielder given the age of some of the regular starters and the sheer lack of quality depth currently at Anfield.

However, the only bit of business they’ve done thus far is sign yet another attacker in the form of Cody Gakpo, which has left that part of the squad extremely bloated, though a midfielder is seemingly still on the radar, with Matheus Nunes and Ruben Neves being linked.

Someone they were tipped to move for last summer was Wijnaldum, who only left the club for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, but they seemingly passed up on signing a ready-made player for Klopp’s system and saw him jet off to Serie A with Roma.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Bardell was left puzzled as to why Liverpool weren’t all over a reunion with Wijnaldum last summer given he knows the club and their system so well.

He said: “That central midfield, it’s in need of a refresh. I don’t think they ever replaced Wijnaldum. I know he’s ageing as well, but I don’t understand why they weren’t in for him on loan in the summer – someone who’s proven he can play under Klopp and proven himself at Liverpool.

Should Liverpool have signed Wijnaldum?

Yes!

Yes!

No!

No!

“I know he left in the first place, which Liverpool fans weren’t happy about, but they ended up signing Arthur Melo on loan. He’s not played and he’s not fit for purpose by the looks of things, so I cannot believe they weren’t in for Wijnaldum in the summer.”

TIF Thoughts on a Wijnaldum reunion…

Signing Wijnaldum wouldn’t have naturally solved the problem of Liverpool’s ageing midfield and FSG may well have thought bringing in someone over the age of 30 would have very much just been a stopgap solution.

Wijnaldum was part of a Liverpool side that was extremely successful, winning the UEFA Super Cup, Premier League and Champions League, but given he is now approaching the latter stages of his career, it would have made very little sense.

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However, given that Liverpool instead signed Arthur Melo, who has so far played just once, it maybe could have been better to bring back a familiar face to Anfield who Klopp clearly rates and admires, having previously labelled him as the ‘perfect midfielder‘.

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