Gini Wijnaldum has admitted that he wants to finish his playing career in the Netherlands, revealing his plan to play on until he reaches 38 years of age.
The Dutchman was a key man for Liverpool on Monday night, heading home the opener in the 3-2 win over West Ham. Wijnaldum has been an excellent signing since arriving from Newcastle United in 2016, but he is yet to agree a new deal at Anfield.
Speaking to Rijnmond, the 29-year-old admits he dreams of returning to his homeland one day:
In the future I see myself playing for Feyenoord, PSV or Sparta again. Sometimes I look at Sparta (his first youth club) and think ‘it would be great to spend my last years as a professional there’.
In the Netherlands I played for three clubs and still have a good feeling about all three of them. But you can only pick one.
I can’t promise anything though. I learn from other players too. [Ruud] Van Nistelrooy once promised to come back, but changed his mind over the years.
It’s unique what I’m experiencing right now. You want to play at the highest level and win trophies, like Clarence Seedorf.
It’s my dream to play as long as possible. Like him, Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] or [Cristiano] Ronaldo. I want to play at a high level until I’m 38.
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I don’t expect Wijnaldum to return to the Netherlands in the near future, with the midfielder still very much at the peak of his powers. Going back to the Eredivisie feels like an end-of-career move to me, considering it is less competitive than many of Europe’s top leagues.
It is worrying that he hasn’t yet committed his future to Liverpool, however, bearing in mind what a key cog in the machine he has become.
There may be players who earn more column inches than Wijnaldum, but his tactical expertise, consistency and quality on the ball – he has a pass completion rate of 90.8 per cent in the Premier League this season – make him a formidable player, so the sooner he signs a new contract, the better.
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