Liverpool may soon be faced with the arduous task of seeking a replacement for one of the most consistent performers in the squad in Gini Wijnaldum.
The Dutch midfielder is fast approaching the final six months of his contract and, as things stand, there is no new deal on the horizon. All parties seem relaxed about the future, though, and Jurgen Klopp remains confident that the 30-year-old will remain on Merseyside.
However, the Liverpool Echo have done some research on the task to find a suitable replacement.
Lens midfielder Seko Fofana fits the bill as an ideal like-for-like solution should the versatile Wijnaldum decide to leave the club at the end of his current deal.
Using player comparison website Smarterscout, Fofana comes out as the only comparison to the Liverpool man statistically with the caveat of being under 27 years old and having played at least 1,500 minutes last season.
The 25-year-old Ivory Coast international has made six Ligue 1 appearances this season and provided one assist.
Another name given by Smarterscout is that of left-footed Wolfsburg midfielder Yannick Gerhardt. The one-cap Germany international has played seven times this season in the Bundesliga but is yet to contribute directly to a goal.
Comparatively, Wijnaldum is a handful of years older than both players and has played in all 11 Premier League matches for the Reds this term, grabbing his first direct goal involvement in Sunday’s 4-0 victory over Wolves.
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Whilst it will be sad to see the Dutchman leave, especially given his performances this season so far; the reality is that with the likes of Barcelona circling, the closer it gets to the end of his contract, the more likely it seems this could be Wijnaldum’s last season at Anfield.
Since taking over the reins at Liverpool, Klopp has always had a plethora of central midfield options in his squad, never more so than now.
Therefore, should Wijnaldum be on his way out in the summer, it seems highly possible that the Reds’ recruitment team would be on the lookout for an immediate replacement despite the September arrival of Thiago Alcantara and the emergence of Curtis Jones.
The two players earmarked in the report are valued at £9m (Fofana) and £5.34m (Gerhardt) respectively by Transfermarkt.
Whilst Fofana’s stats in particular may stack up, the French top flight isn’t as strong as the Premier League. Therefore a look at options with Premier League experience, such as reported target Yves Bissouma, may be more beneficial for Liverpool.
