Liverpool midfielder Gini Wijnaldum played his last game for the club on Sunday as he prepares to leave five years after his arrival.
The Dutch international star has not signed a new deal with the club and now looks set to depart for either Barcelona or Bayern Munich. Wijnaldum, 30, has been a pivotal part in Liverpool’s development and success under Jürgen Klopp, missing a total of just 11 games through injury in that five-year period.
Bayern Munich have opened talks with Gini Wijnaldum, to sign him on a free transfer after his Liverpool contract expired, according to Sky Germany. #FCBayern #LFC
— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) May 24, 2021
After Liverpool beat Crystal Palace 2-0 to secure a third-place finish and Champions League qualification for next season, Wijnaldum gave an emotional outgoing interview to Liverpoolfc.com. Firstly, he was asked about how we was feeling after the victory:
“Happy, of course, because we qualified for the Champions League again. I think if you look back a few weeks ago, no one thought it was possible to qualify for the Champions League again. So, I’m really happy that we still managed to turn it around and qualify for the Champions League. I think that’s something this club deserves, something the fans deserve – and the players also. But on the other side, also sad that it looks like it’s going to be my last game. It will come an end to the period at Liverpool.”
Wijnaldum was quizzed on what was his favourite moment in a Liverpool shirt:
“I think everyone will think of the Barça game but, for me, it’s much bigger than that. I love football, I love this club a lot. I think the relationship that you have as a player with the club, with the team, with the technical staff, the people who work at [the training ground], that’s for me more important than all the things I basically had beside that. The prizes and everything were nice, but the feeling I had – thinking about those things I just said, it’s unbelievable. That’s why I was really happy and pleased that the government allowed 10,000 fans back in the stadium, because that’s just something special.
“When people ask me, ‘How is it to play at Anfield for the supporters of Liverpool?’ it’s difficult for me to describe how it is, because I cannot find the right words for it. I just say, ‘That’s something you have to feel.’ Going to Melwood and now Kirkby, that’s something you have to feel, something you have to see as a player. For me, that’s the most important thing I will have in my heart. And of course, the extra things – the Champions League; the title was unbelievable, especially because the club had to wait for 30 years. Unfortunately, we couldn’t celebrate it with the fans. But they were all the extras for me.”
Wijnaldum now looks set for a stint in either the Bundesliga or LaLiga. All will be revealed in the next month or so. He also has to go and represent the Netherlands in this summer’s European Championship.
On coming back to visit Anfield in the future, Wijnaldum said:
“If it’s possible, I would love to come back. The feeling I have, the feeling my family has with this club, is only good things. I hope that it would be possible that I come back to watch a game and support Liverpool because I will be a Liverpool supporter for life.”
Thanks for everything you did for Liverpool FC, Gini.
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