Barcelona have changed their stance on Gini Wijnaldum, according to reports. The Catalonians will take a different approach this summer.
This comes from Sport. They claim that Barcelona no longer want to sign Gini Wijnaldum this summer.
The Dutchman is available for free, of course, with the expiry of his Liverpool contract in June. It makes him a tempting signing for any club.
After all, we’re talking about a player who has been a vital part of this Liverpool side. Wijnaldum would slot into virtually any team on the planet and offer champion-level experience.
You rarely get those players for free and certainly not while they’re still in their prime
But Barcelona have another idea in mind – Ilaix Moriba. The teenager has broken into the first-team setup this season and impressed.
He’s impressed so much, in fact, that the club want to prioritise him over a new signing. That means giving him the minutes they would have handed to Wijnaldum.
As a result, they have no need for the Dutchman and that potential deal is ‘practically ruled out’. It could still happen but Barcelona’s change of heart now makes it unlikely.
Instead, Wijnaldum will focus on a renewal with Liverpool.
What RTK has to say
We will take all of this stuff with a pinch of salt. Perhaps, for instance, this is merely Barcelona’s way of putting pressure on Wijnaldum to sign.
They no longer appear quite as desperate, thus the 30-year-old loses some bargaining power. It really could be that.
As while we see the thinking behind backing a talented youngster, we don’t think it would rule out Wijnaldum. For one, their ages should actually work in favour of the move.
Wijnaldum would be a top player for around three or four years, by which time Moriba is ready to player regular football. That appears to make more sense for Barcelona, a club desperately needing to rebound back to the top level.
So while we’re hopeful, we’re not willing to celebrate Wijnaldum staying just yet.