‘He looks like Georginio Wijnaldum’ – John Barnes urges LFC to bring in ready-made replacement for Dutchman

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John Barnes has advised his former side to go for Yves Bissouma in the summer window as a potential Gini Wijnaldum replacement.

The Brighton star has been previously linked with a switch to Liverpool, with comparisons made between the Malian’s style of play and the Reds’ No.5’s.

“Yves Bissouma has the ability to play at a team like Liverpool,” the former Red told Bonus Code Bets (via the Daily Mail).

“He could fill what Jurgen Klopp wants from the three midfield players.

“He is strong defensively, he works hard, he plays the ball quickly and every now and then when he needs to dribble, as much as we don’t speak about Brighton, you know he can do it, because he has [in the past].

“Of all the players playing in England, that could fit the template of Liverpool’s midfield three, he is one of them.

“He looks like Georginio Wijnaldum, although he doesn’t attack as much as ‘Gini’ [Wijnaldum], because Brighton plays a different style of football, when Bissouma wants to he can. He is 24 and young, he would be a great fit.”

READ MORE: Report identifies five players Liverpool may need to axe to afford both Konate and Kabak

The 24-year-old has attracted a great deal of interest this term, with our recruitment team no doubt considering the midfielder, as Wijnaldum looking increasingly likely to call time on his Anfield career.

Finding a suitable replacement, of course, will not be a simple job for a number of reasons, not least of all the 30-year-old’s resilience, with Gini having played in all but two games for us this season.

Descriptions of Bissouma from those close to Brighton suggest we’d be potentially gaining a more forward-minded player than the Dutch international, though it’s not out of the realm of possibility for Jurgen Klopp to coach him in the role.

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