James Pearce has revealed that Liverpool do not immediately perceive replacing Gini Wijnaldum as being anything close to a priority ahead of the impending summer transfer window.
The Dutchman is set to depart the club on a free, with Barcelona appearing to be the most likely candidate for a move.
“It remains to be seen how Klopp will fill the void created by Georginio Wijnaldum’s emotional exit following the expiration of his contract,” the reporter wrote for The Athletic.
“Like Robertson, Wijnaldum didn’t miss a league game all season and Klopp’s warm tribute to the Dutch midfielder underlined how much he is going to be missed, on and off the field.
“Senior Anfield sources have indicated that signing a replacement for Wijnaldum is not regarded as a necessity.
“They point to Henderson’s imminent return to fitness and the fact that academy graduate Curtis Jones is expected to have a bigger role in 2021-22.”
The idea that finding a suitable player to fill the void left by our No.5 isn’t deemed necessary – according to Pearce’s sources – is positively mind-boggling.
While we at the EOTK can appreciate that the forward line and the back four are certainly the most obvious points in the body of our squad for transfer surgery, a reluctance to look at replacements for the 30-year-old would overlook the importance of his role.
Gini is hardly the most flashy of midfielders at Jurgen Klopp’s disposal, particularly when compared to the classy brilliance of Thiago Alcantara or the two-man role Fabinho tends to perform in the middle of the park.
Nonetheless, the Dutch international’s ball retention skills and robustness throughout the season cannot be undervalued.
We’re all for seeking solutions in the squad but with limited options beyond Curtis Jones, a new signing has to be considered just as paramount for the midfield three as our other reported priorities.
Of course, it’s worth noting that much speculation over the limitations of our potential transfer business follows a similar theme to much of what we come across here at the EOTK once a season draws to an end.
There are clear needs in the squad to be filled and we won’t be ruling out any business.