Barcelona To Approach Liverpool For $33M Midfielder, Who Has Great Relationship With Barca’s Boss: Report

FC Barcelona reportedly could approach Liverpool FC for their midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum’s transfer to Nou Camp this summer.

Barcelona are aiming to revamp their side at the ongoing transfer window, especially after their 8-2 thrashing against Bayern Munich that eliminated the Spanish side from the Champions League, a trophy they have not won since 2015.

As a result, Barcelona sacked their manager Quique Setien and sporting director Eric Abidal, who was in charge of the club’s players recruitment. Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman has been appointed the new boss of Barcelona, while Ramon Planes will oversee Barcelona’s transfers this summer.

After the club’s recent board meeting, president Josep Bartomeu in an interview listed out players who were going to stay surely beyond this summer. The likes of Lionel Messi, Frenkie de Jong, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Antoine Griezmann, and Nelson Semedo won’t be up for sale among a few more from the Barcelona camp.

Notable sports website Sky Sports has claimed that Barcelona’s new boss Koeman is an admirer of his fellow Dutchman Wijnaldum, who played a key role in the recent success of Koeman with the Netherlands national team. Koeman, who still had two years left on his current with the Dutch team, left the job to take over Barca’s charge, having signed a two-year deal.

Wijnaldum, who has been a core part of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool that has won the Champions League and the Premier League in the last two years or so, has just one year left in his current contract, but his representatives have not been contacted by The Reds over an extension. The attacking midfielder who moved from Newcastle to Anfield for $33 million, has scored 19 goals across four seasons, while he has provided the required support to Liverpool’s front three.

The same report has also suggested that Wijnaldum wants to continue at Liverpool, but will have a big decision to make if he receives an offer from Barcelona, especially now that the club boss is Koeman, with whom Wijnaldum has a great professional relationship.

Meanwhile, the English publication Daily Mail has reported that Koeman has urged Wijnaldum not to sign a new deal with Liverpool as the Barcelona manager is keen on adding his compatriot to his Nou Camp squad ahead of the 2020-21 season.