Gini Wijnaldum and his agent want a huge pay-rise, according to reports. The Dutchman is out of contract this year.
This comes from FC Inter News, part of the TuttoMeractoWeb network. They claim that Gini Wijnaldum won’t renew with Liverpool and that his agent has steep demands.
The agent chases a four-year contract with a new team. He wants 10m euros per year, though – working out at around £165k-a-week.
That would be a big pay-rise for Wijnaldum. Spotrac believes he’s on around £90k-a-week at Liverpool.
And this is before we get to the agent commission. The report claims that would be large, as it usually is for free transfers.
Who might pay it, then? Well, Internazionale are there. Antonio Conte is apparently a big fan of Wijnaldum and wants him at the club.
Things behind the scenes need work, however, forcing Inter to wait. If Wijnaldum is still available once they’re ready, they’ll move.
What RTK has to say
It’s all very believable. If that really is the contract Wijnaldum wants, it makes sense that he won’t renew with Liverpool. We just can’t see the Reds offering that.
When everyone is fit, we don’t imagine the Dutchman will be in the first-XI, for one. His status will only decline over that four-year contract, too, given he’s now 30.
£165k-a-week would have him on far more than Sadio Mane, for instance. Mane is going to play a significant part over four years – we can’t say the same for Wijnaldum.
If Wijnaldum were a guaranteed starter, then perhaps Liverpool would pay that. He’s not, though. The club won’t want to pay a 33-year-old squad player £165k each week.
Inter, though, might. Wijnaldum would be a big signing for them and it’s easier to play into your 30s in Serie A.
Really, they’d be a great move for him. And perhaps more likely to give him what he wants than Liverpool.
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