There’s always a huge decision to make for a club when a player approaches the end of their contract, especially when they need to weigh up their business interests against success on the pitch.
It’s generally accepted that it’s better to accept a small fee instead of losing someone for nothing, but a club might decide that they would rather have them for a bit longer.
The current situation with Gini Wijnaldum at Liverpool is a strange one, because Football Insider appeared to confirm that he was set to sign a new contract with the club.
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He might not be the biggest star that they have, but he’s a key member of the midfield and he’ll be difficult to replace.
He’s perfect for Klopp’s system and he manages to come up with crucial goals, so signing someone like that when finances are tight will be nearly impossible.
The problem is that they might be forced into doing that, after this report suggested that he won’t sign a new deal:
?? James Pearce: "Uncertainty continues over Wijnaldum's future. If it's not resolved soon then they'll have to decide whether to sell him or keep him like they did with Emre knowing he will probably leave for nothing next summer"
— LFC Transfer Room (@LFCTransferRoom) July 26, 2020
If they do decide to sell him then any interested clubs will immediately have the edge in negotiations with this knowledge, so it leaves Liverpool in a difficult position.
The fans will be hoping that something is sorted soon, but he would be the first key player of the title winning side to depart if he does go.