How will Georginio Wijnaldum fare at Liverpool?

After successfully netting 11 well taken goals throughout his debut campaign among the English top-flight last season, as well as subsequently registering five decent assists to his name in the process, beleaguered Newcastle United fans would certainly be forgiven for keenly regretting their club’s recent decision to part ways with Dutch international, Georginio Wijnaldum, this month.

 

The quick-footed 25-year-old, who only completed his initial move to St. James’ Park for around a fee of £14.5 million almost exactly this time last year, clearly served to set the Premier League alight for some isolated sections of the English game in 2015/16 – but as the best is arguably yet to come from the former Feyenoord and PSV star – Liverpool’s £25 million acquisition of Georginio Wijnaldum seemingly makes a great deal of sense on first impressions alone.

 

But how will the former Magpies midfielder ultimately fare within the undeniably potent caldron that is Anfield football ground? Will the Reds simply regret shelling out such a vast amount of cash for a still somewhat untested asset, or is this particular deal bound to succeed no matter what trials and tribulations eventually await the Liverpool faithful next season? There is only one way to find out…

 

Delighted to have signed for @LFC . Can't wait to see you on Anfield #YNWA ? pic.twitter.com/2yGHsuJarQ

— Georginio Wijnaldum (@GWijnaldum) 22 July 2016

 

super excited to see wijnaldum in action, great signing. dynamic footballer for sure! #LFC #YNWA https://t.co/4aqEZcrF77

— Daniel Oliver (@no_desh) 23 July 2016

 

One of the major shortcomings to Wijnaldum’s overall game last season would have to arrive in the form of his consistency out on the pitch for his respective manager. Granted, the Netherlands international certainly seemed to excel throughout the first half of the campaign with Newcastle fans still largely hopeful of escaping the drop come the end of the season, but after several weeks on end where the 25-year-old served only to produce a few ghostly performances at best for the Magpies, £25 million clearly seems like somewhat of a gamble considering the player’s inability to step up and be counted right when Newcastle United really needed his presence last season.

 

Several passionate Magpies fans could therefore view this recent transfer as a stark blessing in disguise for their club. Newcastle have indeed received a largely inflated valuation for Wijnaldum considering just how ineffective the former PSV man actually proved to be for large parts of the season, with that cool £25 million offering his former employers an ideal opportunity to boost their first team ranks even further ahead of the 2016/17 Championship campaign.

 

Yet now that Georginio Wijnaldum will be working under a world-class manager in the shape of Jurgen Klopp, playing in front of an Anfield crowd that certainly serve to inspire even in the worst of times, and already has that previous year amongst the English top-flight to really know what is expected of him next season – this is one player who is arguably bound to thrive at Liverpool when all is said and done. Some of Wijnaldum’s performances were absolutely electrifying last term particularly on the counter-attack, which definitely makes strong reading for Reds fans who already see their club possess a range of exciting attacking options this summer.

 

Will the Dutchman eventually define himself as one of the best players in England on the back of a successful season with Liverpool next term? Perhaps not – but as the midfielder in question will no longer be surrounded by a group of players destined for the second-tier of English football, with the ill-fated Steve McClaren also no longer in place to call the shots in 2016/17 – all the signs seem to suggest that Georginio Wijnaldum certainly has what it takes to make a real name for himself in a Liverpool shirt next season.