Potential Wijnaldum replacement Zakaria turns down deal and there is 90% chance of exit, says Bild

Posted by

With Gini Wijnaldum leaving on a free transfer in the summer, Liverpool will need to bring in a central midfield replacement for the man who’s featured in our central three more than any other during Jurgen Klopp’s tenure.

There’s now no hope of the Dutchman extending, so bringing in a suitable midfielder in his stead will be an ongoing priority for Michael Edwards and his transfer team.

One name always mooted is Borussia Monchengladbach’s Denis Zakaria, a 24-year-old Switzerland international.

According to Bild, the reliable German outlet, Zakaria recently rejected an extension on his contract which currently expires in 2022, meaning there is a 90% chance he will exit this summer, with Liverpool and Manchester City again mentioned as likely candidates.

Zakaria has battling qualities and stands at 6ft2′, which suits the idea of a powerful, rangy midfield – the type Liverpool’s success under Klopp was built upon.

We now have Thiago, Curtis Jones and (hopefully) a fit Naby Keita as technical, smaller, more tricky options – but we shouldn’t go too far away from what made us great in the first place.

In this respect, Zakaria is a nice option, and we’d be intrigued to see if the club made an offer for his services at the end of the campaign.

More Stories Denis Zakaria Gini Wijnaldum