Silly season is well underway in the Premier League calendar, with England’s top-tier sides being linked with a whole host of transfers in and out.
One recently surfaced piece of speculation claims that La Liga giants Barcelona are closely monitoring the situation of Liverpool man Georginio Wijnaldum.
With Jürgen Klopp rumoured to be considering a move for Bayern Munich’s Thiago Alcântara, on paper the move may seem like it makes a lot of sense, as the Reds move one midfielder on and bring in another who many would consider to be an upgrade.
However, football isn’t played on paper, and selling a player who has proved absolutely integral to Liverpool’s recent success would prove to be a huge mistake.
Over the past two seasons Liverpool have played some absolutely sublime football, with Klopp deviating little from the tried and tested starting XI which has brought so much success.
However, while the goalkeeper, back four and front three pick themselves, the one interchangeable aspect of the German tactician’s first team has been the midfield.
Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keïta, James Milner and Wijnaldum have all found themselves vying for a spot in Klopp’s midfield three, with none of the aforementioned players guaranteed a starting berth in any given clash.
Each of them bring their own qualities to the Reds midfield, whether it be Fabinho’s ability to sense danger, Henderson’s leadership or Oxlade-Chamberlain’s powerful ball carrying.
However, Wijnaldum is a different type of midfielder entirely.
In a footballing era where the box-to-box midfielder who can do just about everything is a rare commodity, the Dutchman is a Swiss Army knife of a footballer - someone who doesn’t necessarily have one world-class quality you could pinpoint, but a player who you can depend upon to produce consistent brilliance.
While Klopp rarely settled on a preferred midfield three, the former Newcastle midfielder is as close as it comes to having a guaranteed place in the starting XI for crunch games, and he rarely fails to produce.
In his debut season at Anfield, Wijnaldum produced when it mattered most, scoring crucial goals against Arsenal, Manchester City and Middlesbrough as the club secured a top-four finish for the first time in three years – a pivotal campaign which laid the foundations for the successful side Liverpool have become.
And his influence on the Reds has only grown since, producing superb performances against Barcelona in their victorious Champions League campaign of 2018/19 and against Manchester City in Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over Pep Guardiola's side, as the club took a huge leap towards their maiden Premier League crown in 2019/20.
Should Liverpool opt to offload Wijnaldum and replace him with Thiago, the Reds would undoubtedly be adding one of the most talented midfielders on the planet to their already impressive midfield arsenal.
However, the Spain international is a very different type of player to the Dutchman and would represent a complete change in the DNA which has gleaned so much silverware since Klopp’s arrival.
The German tactician is famed for his rock ‘n’ roll style of football, with the club becoming synonymous with high octane football.
Thiago is a much more measured player – someone who can control a game and act as a midfield metronome, yet could also be accused of slowing a game down at times.
At 29 years of age the Bayern man is no younger than the man he would likely replace and would command a (much) higher wage than Wijnaldum, whose current deal is set to expire in 2021.
Thiago’s credentials can’t be ignored, and while the prospective signing of the 2020 Champions League winner would set the pulse racing of any rational football fan, the move has the potential to upset the balance of a Klopp side five years in the making.
In Wijnaldum Liverpool possess one of the most underrated players in the Premier League, and should they choose to part ways with a player who has never let them down on the big occasions, it would prove to be a huge mistake.
Source : 90min