Jurgen Klopp has been tracking the career of Liverpool’s latest signing Georginio Wijnaldum for close to a decade, and is revelling in the opportunity to personally manage his talents and advance the midfielder’s game.
The 25-year-old inked a five-year contract with the Reds after making the switch from Newcastle on Friday, in a deal worth £23 million with a further £2m in add-ons.
Delighted to have signed for @LFC . Can't wait to see you on Anfield #YNWA
If all goes as planned, Wijnaldum will fly out to California on Saturday morning before lacing up alongside his new team-mates in the evening training session at Stanford University.
And Klopp, who has watched the Netherlands international's development from a distance, is enthused to finally be working with his sizeable skill set.
Sitting in the terrace area of the Four Seasons Hotel in East Palo Alto, Klopp explained: “I’ve known him as a player since he was 16 or 17 when I first watched him play for Rotterdam, but I didn't know him as a person before we met.
“I really like following the journey of these guys, especially the special players and he's a special player.
“He went from Rotterdam to Feyenoord to Eindhoven. It's been a good development.
“He can help us and we can help him. That's the thing.
“New players have to perform at their highest possible level and to push all the other players. We have a quality squad, there's no doubt about that.
“And to play in our team, you need to play at the highest level – that's the case for all of them.
“He can bring a few things into the team that we didn't have before.”
Klopp was quick to riff on Wijnaldum’s qualities, with his enthusiasm to get beyond markers and on the scoresheet of particular satisfaction to the German.
The 49-year-old also noted the Dutchman’s versatility as a major plus point.
“He's a complete footballer,” the Reds boss explained.
“He's good with the ball and he's really fit, he can run a lot, he's quick in making decisions and is a threat for the goal.
“He's quite experienced, he was captain of PSV, he became a champion there and he knows about winning games and championships.
“He's had some bad moments in his career with injuries and then relegation with Newcastle. No career goes without scars. You have them.”
On Wijnaldum’s multi-functionality, Klopp noted: “He can play in one of those more attacking roles, or deeper in a two.
“He can also play either side in a 4-3-3. He can play in five or six different positions. That's one of the things I really like about him.
“In whatever position he has ever played, he has always been a threat to the goal. That's what he brings. He never forgets direction. He passes and then he goes, making himself an option a second later – he's a complete footballer who is nice to have.”
Another tick on the checklist for Klopp was Wijnaldum’s appetite to contribute to his long-term vision for Liverpool.
The midfielder’s desire to make the switch to Anfield was immediate and obvious.
“I wasn't surprised when it was like this when we met for the first time," Klopp admitted.
“We had a talk and I think after this talk I think we both knew we wanted to work together.
“Obviously, I couldn't just say: 'Ask for whatever money you want, I'll do the rest with our owners or whatever...'
“The deal still had to be agreed but we both knew we wanted to do this.
“You will see when you talk to him here. There's no doubt. He's 25 with a special story of life and a clear mind. He's fully focused on football and Liverpool is a real club for him.”
Tottenham and Everton were also tracking Wijnaldum this summer with a view to securing his services, a fact Klopp was keen to highlight.
“I know it's difficult for our supporters in this moment, because it sounds like other players really want to come us as they don't have any other offers,” he said.
“But here is a player who really wants to come to us who had other offers. He's said: 'okay, this is the right moment in my career, I want to go there and create something special.’”
- Goal