Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has been tipped to hold talks with manager Jurgen Klopp about his Anfield future when he returns from international duty with the Netherlands.
Wijnaldum recently entered the final year of his Liverpool contract and his future has become increasingly uncertain due to interest from Barcelona, where he would reunite with former Dutch national team coach Ronald Koeman.
Wijnaldum, who started 35 Premier League games last season, is the only regular starter not tied down to a long-term deal and an agreement over fresh terms hasn’t been forthcoming.
It has recently been claimed in the Spanish press that the player has already agreed to the broad terms of a deal on offer from Barcelona – a three-year contract with the option of a fourth, with negotiations labelled ‘well advanced’. But the Catalans don’t want to pay the Reds more than €20m (£17.8m) for the midfielder's services.
The Independent writes that Wijnaldum will meet Klopp for face to face talks when he returns from Melwood after representing his country in the UEFA Nations League. The player is expected back on Wednesday and will talk through developments with Klopp.
As far as the latest report from the Daily Mail is concerned, Wijnaldum has not given any indication to Liverpool that he is prepared to leave and has carried on his preparations for the season as normal. It is said that Klopp, rather unsurprisingly, is happy for him to stay.
It is said the pair will ‘work out a plan’, as Liverpool are vulnerable to losing Wijnaldum as a free agent next year if no agreement, one way or the other, is reached soon.
Should both parties decide that selling now is the best way forward – and if Barcelona can come up with a suitable offer – it could make the funds available for Liverpool to bring in Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich. The Spaniard has been heavily linked with the Reds, but a potential deal has so far been held up by an unwillingness to meet Bayern’s asking price.
However, a recent twist in the saga has seen Barcelona linked with their former player instead.
For more from Jamie Spencer, follow him on Twitter and Facebook!
Source : 90min