Liverpool: Steve Nicol urges club to keep Gini Wijnaldum
Liverpool officials have been tipped to throw money at Georginio Wijnaldum in order to get him to sign a new contract and end speculation linking him with a move to Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Liverpool are running out of time to get Wijnaldum to sign a new contract.
The Dutch midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season and is fast approaching free agency.
Due to the nature of his situation, Wijnaldum will be able to talk with foreign clubs during the January transfer window and sign a pre-contract agreement to leave for free next summer.
The Reds are determined to avoid that from happening and are believed to have entered into talks over an extension.
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But their bids were rejected by the Premier League champions, who had no desire to sell despite splashing out on new midfielder Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich.
Reports recently have suggested that Liverpool are almost certain Wijnaldum will walk out of Anfield for nothing when his contract ends next summer, but former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes they should do everything possible to get him to stay.
Speaking to Football Insider, he explained that Wijnaldum departing would leave a huge hole in the Liverpool side that none of their current players can fix.
Robinson said: “If Wijnaldum went in the summer they would have been really short on Sunday.
Liverpool urged to 'throw money' at Gini Wijnaldum to fend off Barcelona transfer interest (Image: REACH PLC)
Liverpool urged to 'throw money' at Gini Wijnaldum to fend off Barcelona transfer interest (Image: GETTY)
“He proved against Leicester that he is still a top-class player.
“There was a big onus on his shoulders because of the injuries Liverpool have had and you can see that if he was to leave at the end of the season he would leave a huge hole.
“Liverpool will throw another contract at him and try to get him to sign because if he does leave they will need to find a replacement.”
Wijnaldum has been ever-present for Jurgen Klopp’s side this season, due in part to injuries to Thiago and Naby Keita.
He has started in eight of Liverpool’s nine Premier League games, and came on as a last-minute substitute against Everton after Thiago’s knee injury.