Georginio Wijnaldum has finally sealed a new club, after becoming a free agent this summer, seemingly putting to rest links surrounding a return to the Premier League.
Georginio Wijnaldum of Netherlands looks on prior to during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Netherlands and Austria
Georginio Wijnaldum has signed for a new club(Image: (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images))
Former Liverpool star Georginio Wijnaldum has put pen to paper on a contract with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad, as he continues his career in the division.
The club, which employs some familiar faces such as former Porto and PSG defender Danilo, Benfica loanee Richard Rios, and ex-Tottenham winger Steven Bergwijn, announced the deal as a one-year option with a further year included in the contract.
It's a move that continues the Liverpool icon's career, five years on from leaving Anfield as a free agent to join PSG, with his time since taking plenty of twists and turns.
The 35-year-old is currently in the twilight of his career, which started with Feyenoord before he moved to PSV Eindhoven, giving him the chance to impress in the midfield ranks.
In 2015, he did enough to catch the eye of Newcastle United, who brought him over to the Premier League, but the Netherlands international was unable to stop the team's eventual slide to relegation.
That opened a chance for Liverpool to strike in 2016, landing Wijnaldum as a useful option in the squad. The midfielder spent five years with the Reds, making 237 appearances, scoring 22 goals and assisting 16 times over that spell.
Four trophies capped off those five years, winning the Premier League, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup to seal a memorable stint.
Shortly after leaving Liverpool, Wijnaldum joined PSG, but it proved difficult for the midfielder to break into the team. A loan move to Roma followed the year after, before he made a permanent exit to join Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.
Georginio Wijnaldum reacts
Former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum looks set to be on the move this summer(Image: Getty Images)
His time there ended up being a three-year stint, making 101 appearances with 38 goals and 17 assists to his name, before eventually leaving as a free agent this summer.
There were plenty of offers surrounding a new move, with reports even claiming that Chelsea had made contact with Wijnaldum over a possible return to the Premier League, after a midfield deal fell through late in the summer market.
Instead, a switch to Al-Ittihad keeps the veteran in Saudi Arabia for at least another year, if not two, to prolong his career for the foreseeable future.
It's unclear what could follow for Wijnaldum, as the end of his professional playing career appears to be moving closer, but for now the goal will seemingly be to continue playing at his highest level in Saudi Arabia.
Regardless of what follows, the Dutch ace's eventual return to Anfield one day will certainly be greeted well as one of those to end the long wait for the Premier League title.