E-Paper
Liverpool boss Klopp optimistic about Wijnaldum’s future
Wijnaldum, who arrived from Newcastle United in 2016, is out of contract at the end of the season and can speak to overseas clubs from January.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp says he is pleased midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum’s form has held up amid uncertainty over his future, expressing hope the Netherlands international will commit his future to the Premier League champions.
Wijnaldum, who arrived from Newcastle United in 2016, is out of contract at the end of the season and can speak to overseas clubs from January.
The 30-year-old has won the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup during his time at Liverpool but was reported to be one of new Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman’s primary targets in the close season.
“I would be happy if he would stay. I am pretty happy with him, as you can see when you look at most of the lineups,” Klopp said of Wijnaldum, who has made 15 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions this season.
“Gini is one of the best the best players I’ve ever trained,” Klopp told reporters on Friday. “He has always played well, that’s why he’s played the amount of games he has. I cannot remember a lot of bad games.
“He played for us in plenty of different positions and he is in a good moment. Long may it continue... As long as nothing is decided, everything is possible. I am positive.”
Liverpool are second in the Premier League standings and trail Tottenham Hotspur on goal difference ahead of their game at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
