With no football being played, Liverpool are said to be taking advantage of the break by trying to tie midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum down to a new contract.
The 29-year-old has been a core part of Jürgen Klopp's side this season. He has made 38 appearances in all competitions, 34 of which have come as a starter, and he has blossomed into a real fan favourite.
The Dutchman's current contract is set to expire in 2021, but according to Nicolò Schira, Liverpool are in 'advanced talks' to extend that until 2023 with an option for a further year as well.
Back in January, The Athletic's David Ornstein noted that everyone involved was keeping an open mind about the situation.
The fact that Wijnaldum is now 29 meant that the Reds were open to a sale, if a new contract could not be agreed.
You get the sense that that message must have come from the club's hierarchy because there's no way Klopp would want to see the back of Wijnaldum.
The Dutchman has been a vital part of the team in recent years, keeping the likes of Naby Keïta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the bench for large parts of the season, so it's clear that Klopp has real faith in Wijnaldum.
Liverpool have still been linked with a number of new midfielders, including Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz and Borussia Mönchengladbach's Denis Zakaria, but it would be hugely surprising to see either take Wijnaldum's place in the team.
With Adam Lallana set to walk away from Anfield when his contract expires at the end of the season, there will be a gap in Klopp's squad that could be filled by a big-money signing, but it seems more likely that young Curtis Jones will be handed a permanent promotion to the senior side.
The Reds should probably focus their spending on finding some more depth in attack, while a reserve left-back surely has to be high on their agenda at some point. Utility man James Milner may be superhuman, but he can only go on for so long.
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Source :
90min
