Wijnaldum believes Liverpool will be ‘serious challengers’

Oli Fisher
Georginio Wijnaldum: Has high hopes for Klopp's Liverpool

Georginio Wijnaldum: Has high hopes for Klopp's Liverpool

New Liverpool signing Georginio Wijnaldum believes Liverpool can be title challengers this season under Jurgen Klopp, and vowed to hit double figures.

The Dutchman signed for a fee of £25million from Newcastle, and made his Reds debut in Saturday’s 2-0 win over AC Milan in California.

Wijnaldum admitted he takes inspiration from what Leicester City did last season and believes Liverpool can achieve similar heights in 2016/17.

“Of course we can be serious challengers,” Wijnaldum was quoted in the Liverpool Echo.

“If you play for a club as big as Liverpool you always have to be trying to win trophies – that always has to be the aim.

“You’re never going to be happy with eighth or ninth here. You have to go for titles.

“That’s the dream for me to help Liverpool create more history and I will do everything I can for that.

“If Leicester can do it then why can’t we? It’s all about the team – that makes a champion, not a signing.”

Wijnaldum discussed his own personal targets for the upcoming season very openly, with the confident midfielder seemingly in no doubt he can contribute to the team with goals.

“I think a player with my quality has to get at least 10 goals a season,” he said.

“Sometimes you reach more, sometimes less. Last season I got 11. But because I create so many chances I have to score at least 10 – that’s the pressure I put on myself.

“I did it at Feyenoord, PSV, Newcastle. I always want to score, I am greedy to score and will do the same this season, looking for chances.

“It’s because I have the quality to score goals. To be fair I have the quality to create chances too and because I create a lot, I score goals.

“But it can always be better because I missed a lot as well. Every time I play I want to score, it’s something I’ve had since I scored a lot as a youngster.”

Liverpool begin their Premier League season with the tricky task of a trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal on August 14.