Steve McManaman thinks that Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum may well leave at the end of this season now, as per his comments live on BT Sport.
Wijnaldum’s contract at Liverpool is running down, and the club and player have still not been able to agree new terms.
The Dutchman has been heavily linked to Barcelona in recent times.
And while it is thought that Jurgen Klopp would like to keep hold of Wijnaldum, McManaman is not confident that Liverpool will be able to keep him at Anfield.
“It looks as if he may leave, contract negotiations have not come to an agreement,” McManaman said.
“He can leave on a free if he wants to, certainly to a foreign club.
“He’s been brilliant while he’s been at Liverpool. I don’t know if it’s financial or if it’s just length of contract, but they haven’t come to an agreement yet.”
If Wijnaldum does depart it will have to be seen as a blow for Liverpool, as he has played a key role over a number of years for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
The 30-year-old, who was signed for £25 million from Newcastle United in 2016 (BBC Sport), may not be one of the Reds’ regular headline grabbers, but his ability to cover across multiple positions has made him a very useful squad player.
And if Wijnaldum does depart Liverpool will surely be forced into the transfer market to find a replacement for him.
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