With Newcastle getting relegated, it should not be a surprise to see many of their top players being linked with moves away from the club. One such star is Georginio Wijnaldum who is set for a move to Liverpool in a deal rumoured to be at around £20 million.
The Dutch midfielder had an inconsistent season for the Magpies last season but he did have his flashes of brilliance and that could be one reason why Jurgen Klopp is attracted to the 25-year-old. Having one Premier League season under his best certainly will help him out if he is to play for the Reds but there are a few good points and bad ones if the Premier League side does sign the mercurial midfielder.
Pros
An exciting prospect
It certainly was a surprise when Newcastle announced the signing of Wijnaldum from PSV at the start of last season. The midfielder was one of the best players in the Eredivisie and Newcastle signing him was certainly a coup for the then Premier League side.
The 25-year-old didn’t live up to his expectations but he did show glimpses of his ability and the fact that many other clubs are in the running to sign him just proves that he is someone who can only get better. The midfielder was one of the few bright sparks for Newcastle last season and that is something he could be for Liverpool in the heart of midfield as well.
Can play in a range of positions
The one great feature of Wijnaldum is his ability to play in a range of positions. The Dutch midfielder can even play wide right or even behind the main striker, options that Liverpool could use next season.
The midfield of Liverpool isn’t the strongest and the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino are also inconsistent, thus having someone like Wijnaldum in the side certainly can give them another option in the side, incase they need to change things up.
Cons
Inconsistency is an issue
Even though Wijnaldum has a lot of talent, he is not the most consistent and that was a major issue for the Magpies last season. The midfielder played in 40 games and chipped in with 11 goals but most of them came in clutches of twos or threes.
Had Wijnaldum played more to his ability, who knows, Newcastle might have survived the season but his on-off issues will be something that Liverpool would be wary of as they inch closer to this signing.
Liverpool have a number of midfielders already
We alluded to this point earlier as well but Liverpool already have a number of midfielders and more importantly they already have a ton of midfielders who are inconsistent and don’t really know their place in the team.
The likes of Jordan Henderson, Joe Allen, Lucas Leiva and Emre Can aren’t sure shot starters next season, well maybe Can is but barring the German, no one is a player that can shake things up a bit next season and that is the same issue with Wijnaldum.
He might have the talent and ability but he hasn’t shown in regularly in England and maybe, just maybe working under Klopp can reignite the fire in the Dutch midfielder and make him the player he has the potential to be.