Newcastle United defender Jamaal Lascelles has raved about Liverpool midfielder Gini Wijnaldum and claimed that he has ‘pure ability’, as he told The Getting Messi Podcast.
Lascelles played alongside the Premier League and Champions League winner during his time at St James’ Park when he was a goalscoring winger.
But since his £25 million move to Liverpool four years ago [BBC Sport], the technically-gifted Dutchman has transformed into a midfield machine.
Lascelles was asked who is the best player he has played with during his career and he didn’t hesitate to put Wijnaldum’s name forward.
“Probably Wijnaldum,” said Lascelles. “We got relegated that season but you could just see the difference of quality. I mean now he is doing amazing at Liverpool.
“But as an individual at Newcastle, he was pure ability. He was super-fit, strong, he was agile. But just pure ability.
“Dribbling, intelligence, professionalism as well. He just wanted to do better.”
A player of high-quality, Wijnaldum is perhaps an underrated figure in this Champions League and Premier League-winning jigsaw that Jurgen Klopp has built.
From having the pace to get past defenders to the ability to prevent the world’s best attackers from picking up pockets of space in front of their defence.
Wijnaldum has become a more defensive-minded player during his time on Merseyside and many feel he does have that box-to-box element in his game, but he plays a more disciplined role in the middle of the park.
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