Respite for Liverpool fans as fresh talks begin with crucial Klopp favourite
Liverpool have allayed fears over the potential exit of key midfield cog Georginio Wijnaldum with talks over a new deal reportedly “going so well.”
Transfer news for the red half of Merseyside has been a touch depressing of late, with the bombshell that bitter rivals Chelsea had beaten them to the transfer of RB Leipzig hitman Timo Werner a particular sore point.
Club legend Robbie Fowler controversially believes the club made the correct call in that instance, but combined with the revelation that owners Fenway Sports Group were set to put no fewer than six Reds stars up for sale, good news had been thin on the ground.
The ongoing speculation over the future of Dutch international Wijnaldum could’ve been another story that turned sour, with the club seemingly in no hurry to extend the deal of such a vital component of their midfield.
With just one year remaining on his current deal, rumours had begun to swirl that Jurgen Klopp’s side would allow the 29-year-old to walk away for free next year, despite achieveing a top twenty finish in the 2019 Ballon d’Or voting.
However, those fears have finally been allayed after The Daily Express cited Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano who revealed on Twitter that talks between the two parties are well underway.
Romano tweeted: “Talks between Liverpool and Gini Wijnaldum agent to extend his contract are going so well…”
Wijnaldum has blossomed into becoming one of Klopp’s most trusted liuetenants in the engine room since his arrival from Newcastle Utd in 2016.
Adopting a more measured and disciplined role in the Reds midfield compared to his responsiblities at previous clubs, the Dutchman has become one of the first names on the teamsheet for Klopp in crunch encounters.
Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp has broken down in detail why the club chose to ditch their pursuit of Timo Werner, and also dropped a hint regarding Bayer Leverkusen superstar Kai Havertz.
The Reds had long been considered the favourites to snap up the prolificRB Leipzig forward, who had also expressed a strong desire to head to Anfield before the coronavirus caused financial uncertainties to ripple through sport and most industries.
Liverpool could face a reported loss of revenue anywhere up to £200 million due to the pandemic, with matchday revenue taking a significant hit – with fans not expected to return to stadiums in 2020.
That uncertainty has caused the Reds to reassess their transfer market business, and although a £50m fee for Chelsea bound Werner appears a bargain, it is now potentially viewed as careless – especially considering discussions with current players over “salary waivers.”