Georginio Wijnaldum left Anfield for Paris last summer, joining PSG upon the expiry of his contract with the Reds. The move made up just a quarter of the high profile free transfers Mauricio Pochettino’s side would make that window; as Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, and Gianluigi Donnarumma also arrived at the Parc des Princes.
Wijnaldum has endured a difficult first season in the French capital, starting just 18 league games and scoring only one goal, and if rumours are to be believed may not be around to risk a second.
In October of last year Wijnaldum, during an interview with NOS, made public his frustrations over falling out of favour at his new club –
“I can’t say I’m completely happy, because the situation is not what I wanted, but that’s football and I’ll have to learn to deal with that. I’m a fighter.
I have to stay positive and work hard to turn it around. I have played a lot in recent years, was always fit and also did very well. This is something different and that takes getting used to.
I was really looking forward to the new step and then this happens. It is very difficult.”
In contrast, the Dutchman represented Liverpool on 237 occasions and was an integral part of the success Jurgen Klopp’s men have enjoyed in recent years. Wijnaldum sealed his place in the red pages of Merseyside’s history books with a two minute brace against Barcelona in the second leg of the 2019 Champions League Semi-Final, bringing Liverpool level on aggregate and allowing Divock Origi to later send the travelling Kop off to Madrid where they would bring home a 6th European Cup.
Liverpool missed out on midfield target Aurelien Tchouameni earlier this month, and with another of their favoured options in Jude Bellingham reportedly not being available until next year, suggestions have been made as to whether Wijnaldum could make a return.
Jurgen Klopp currently has eight senior midfielders to choose from going in to the new season, although more than a few of them are entering the twilight stages of their career. A short-term deal or loan agreement for the Netherlands international could relieve some pressure on ageing legs in the Anfield engine room, such as those of James Milner, but Wijnaldum himself is no spring chicken. The former Newcastle man will turn 32 this November and thus bringing him does nothing to aid a transition of talent to those with more longevity, that the club will need in the centre of the park in coming years.
Liverpool are subtly bringing about a new generation with the departure of Sadio Mane, and the signings of Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Fabio Carvalho, and development of Harvey Elliot and Curtis Jones. The likes of Elliot and Jones have been offered sporadic opportunities to impress in the first team and would be expected to have a larger impact this year. If a mature figure such as Wijnaldum comes in at this stage simply as a stopgap signing then it would likely stunt the development of such youngsters.
Elsewhere, Leicester City have also been identified as a potential destination for Wijnaldum should he wish to return to the Premier League. With the foxes potentially set to lose Youri Tielemans, a move to the East Midlands could work well for all parties.
It is also possible that Wijnaldum will decide to stay and fight for his place at PSG, but with an exit looking increasingly likely it is difficult to say where he’ll end up.