Rumour Mongering: Wijnaldum Return on the Cards?

Given their recent results and current position in both the Premier League and Champions League table, Liverpool don’t look likely to be forced into any moves in January, certainly nothing like what we saw last year when a dozen players in two position groups were injured at the same time.

If anything — and it remains supremely unlikely — it would be Sadio Mané, Naby Keïta and Mohamed Salah’s participation in the the African Cup of Nations pressuring the Reds into a move, and it would be for cover in the attacking line. Jürgen Klopp’s team is phenomenally good and well-stocked across the board, though, and odds are they will be waiting until the summer before making any major moves in the market.

A cheap temporary deal for a former fan favourite who already knows the squad and club, though? Not entirely out of the question.

According to Sky’s Kaveh Solhekol, Paris Saint-Germain are ready to listen to loan offers for Georginio Wijnaldum in January, and the player himself is interested in a return to the Premier League. While Arsenal have been touted as a possible destination, surely, Anfield would be preferable to Gini, not only in terms of a chance to win both football games and trophies, but also walking into a familiar, comfortable situation.

With Thiago currently doing all the things Gini used to do for Liverpool but also providing elite passing, however, there is little chance Wijnaldum would be an automatic starter for the Reds at this point, and with lack of playing time cited as his main concern in France, Arsenal — or another former club, now flush with cash, Newcastle — may turn out more tempting in the end.

Liverpool won’t be particularly active in January, but if anything were to materialise, this is probably one of the likelier scenarios.