Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman is reportedly insisting on Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum and prefers him ahead of a swoop for Thiago Alcantara.
The former Netherlands boss knows his compatriot well having worked with him during his stint as national coach, and it appears as though he’s keen on a reunion having returned to club management.
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As noted by Mundo Deportivo, Koeman is insisting on Wijnaldum, and has even made him a priority transfer target for his midfield ahead of ex-Barcelona ace Thiago.
The 29-year-old will see his current contract with the Merseyside giants expire next year, but it’s stressed that talks between the two clubs haven’t taken off as of yet but the interest from Barcelona is clear.
With that in mind, time will tell how the situation develops, but ultimately it would appear as though the Catalan giants will try to test the resolve of Liverpool to determine whether or not they would be open to an exit in the coming weeks.
Wijnaldum has been a crucial figure for Jurgen Klopp in their success over the past two years, and so he surely won’t be in any rush to conclude a departure unless perhaps there is a certainty about a replacement coming in.
Nevertheless, with the contract issue hanging over them and the potential threat of losing him for nothing next summer, Liverpool may well be open to discussing an exit and pocketing a fee if the likelihood is that Wijnaldum won’t sign an extension.