It’s completely understandable that players will want to seek a new challenge as they enter their final prime years, but sometimes they are just perfectly suited to where they are.
Gini Wijnaldum is a top quality midfielder who would improve a lot of teams, but the Liverpool system is perfect for him and he’s become a better player because it allows him to focus on his strengths.
A report from Goal has looked at the long-running interest from Barcelona as Ronald Koeman looked to be reunited with him, but this could actually benefit both sides.
It’s reported that Barca are now willing to pass on the Dutch midfielder because of the emergence of Iliax Moriba, so he’s set to play a greater role next season instead.
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It’s not to say that Wijnaldum wouldn’t be a great addition in Spain, but Barca have hurt themselves in recent years by giving big contracts to players over 30 who don’t have any re-sale value when they need to be replaced, so the Liverpool man would be the latest player to fit that description.
In theory Wijnaldum would block the progress of someone like Moriba so Barca could face a situation in three years where they’ve lost a wonderkid because he wasn’t getting to play and Wijnaldum will be past his best and will need to move on, so developing the young player is the best path for them as they continue to struggle financially.
As for Liverpool, this gives them a great chance of keeping a key player around for another few seasons, so it could work out perfectly for both clubs.