Talks between Bayern Munich and outbound Liverpool star Gini Wijnaldum have already begun, according to Sport 1 journalist Florian Plettenberg.
The Reds had hoped to keep hold of the Dutchman, though contract discussions between club and player failed to reach a viable conclusion, with the 30-year-old’s contract set to expire this summer.
❗️News #Wijnaldum: After his agent had done some self-promotion in #MeineBayernWoche 🎧 2 weeks ago, #FCBayern got in touch with his management. Talks should have been positive so far. A transfer seems to be possible because he's a free agent. GW wants to move to Munich. @SPORT1
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) May 21, 2021
The midfielder had initially been expected to make a switch to Barcelona to link up with former Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman, though there are suspicions that the Catalans have withdrawn their interest.
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In an injury-ravaged season, the No.5 (valued at €35m, according to Transfermarkt) has been one of the few shining beacons of hope – at least as far as availability goes – for Jurgen Klopp.
Given that the Dutch international has only missed two games across all competitions this term, finding a new signing that mirrors that same level of robustness (not to mention the player’s other notable qualities) will be a challenge for the recruitment team to address.
That being said, with the lack of goals from midfield this year having been highlighted as a concern in light of the drop-off in form from Sadio Mane and Bobby Firmino, the upcoming window may bear witness to another evolution for Liverpool.