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‘If it was down to Klopp’: ‘Sensational’ player would never have left Liverpool if Klopp had his way – journalist
According to James Pearce, Georginio Wijnaldum never would have left Liverpool if it were up to Jurgen Klopp.
Speaking on The Athletic’s , Pearce was discussing how Liverpool don’t necessarily need a Sporting Director who is best friends with Jurgen Klopp amid a number of links to Jorg Schmadtke, noting that Michael Edwards worked incredibly well at Liverpool despite not seeing eye to eye with Klopp on a number of issues.
Pearce noted that Klopp would have given Wijnaldum the contract he was looking for if it were his decision, but Edwards rallied against it saying that such a deal for such a player didn’t make sense for the club.
Klopp would’ve kept Wijnaldum
Pearce shared what he knows about the ‘’ midfielder.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a bit of friction. That’s why it worked so well with Klopp and Michael Edwards. Edwards would often say no to Klopp. They weren’t close, they didn’t socialise, but the dynamic worked well. For example, Gini Wijnaldum would have gotten that new contract he wanted if it was down to Klopp, but it was Edwards who said it didn’t make sense for the club,” Pearce said.
Klopp was right
Say what you will about Michael Edwards being a brilliant Sporting Director, Klopp was right on this one.
Wijnaldum has been missed massively in Liverpool’s midfield, especially this season, and while you can point towards the Dutchman’s decline since heading to PSG and picking up a string of injuries, who’s to say that the same would have happened if he’d stayed at Anfield?
Liverpool’s midfield is a big problem at the moment, and having a player like Wijnaldum to call upon would have been very useful this season to say the least.
