Former Liverpool midfielder Gini Wijnaldum
Former Liverpool midfielder Gini Wijnaldum
Liverpool's forward line stole the show under Jurgen Klopp, but it was the midfield unit that proved to be the glue holding it all together at Anfield.
Be it James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho or Gini Wijnaldum, the Reds' midfield crop weren't flashy or glamorous, but boy were they effective at their best.
Wijnaldum perhaps epitomised things better than most, the Dutchman almost something of a forgotten man at times when looking back, yet he had been integral to Klopp's system, both in and out of possession.
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He's arguably the type of midfielder the Merseysiders could do with again under Andoni Iraola's watch, with the centre of the park likely to be addressed in 2027.
Why Wijnaldum's Liverpool career is still underrated
In the view of Klopp, speaking back in 2019, Wijnaldum was arguably the "perfect midfielder" in his pomp, with the German unable to explain why the former Newcastle United man so often went "under the radar".
Jurgen Klopp and Gini Wijnaldum
Jurgen Klopp and Gini Wijnaldum
It was around that time, of course, that the Netherlands star proved integral to Liverpool's remarkable comeback win over Barcelona in the Champions League, netting twice to etch his name into Anfield folklore.
Having signed back in 2016 for a fee of around £25m, Wijnaldum went on to make 237 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring and assisting 38 goals in that time.
He was evidently not a prolific, goalscoring midfielder, nor necessarily overly creative, but the now-veteran talent was such a force in both areas of the game, a true box-to-box machine in every sense.
In 2019/20, for instance, he started 35 league games, recording a stellar 91% pass accuracy rate, while chipping in with four goals to boot, delivering in key, clutch moments for Klopp's side.
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|Wijnaldum - Career Record|
|Club|Games|Goals & Assists|
|---|
|Liverpool|237|22 goals, 16 assists|
|PSV|154|57 goals, 24 assists|
|Feyenoord|135|25 goals, 11 assists|
|Al-Ettifaq|101|38 goals, 17 assists|
|Newcastle|40|11 goals, 5 assists|
|PSG|38|3 goals, 3 assists|
|Roma|23|2 goals, 1 assist|
|PSV U21|2|2 goals, 0 assists|
|Al-Ittihad|2|1 goal, 0 assists|
|Feyenoord U19|0|0 goals, 0 assists|
|Total|732|161 goals, 77 assists|
Where he particularly stood out too was in his quality as a ball carrier, averaging a standout average of 1.1 successful dribbles per game that year. For context, the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai averaged just 0.7 in that regard last season.
At a time when Iraola, and Arne Slot before him, have struggled to find any semblance of midfield balance of late, a player in the mould of the underrated Wijnaldum would seemingly go down nicely.
How Liverpool could sign the new Wijnaldum in 2027
October is almost here, and it won't be long before attention turns to the January transfer window, with midfield one area that the Reds still need to address despite extensive recruitment this summer.
Liverpool manager Androni Iraola poses for a photograph before the press conference
Liverpool manager Androni Iraola poses for a photograph before the press conference
Reports have suggested that Monaco's Lamine Camara is among those being considered, the 22-year-old having previously come close to joining Chelsea on deadline day.
Looking a little closer to home, the Reds may well continue the top-flight trend of signing Premier League-proven midfielders instead, with Bournemouth's Alex Scott again under consideration.
As per TEAMtalk, the Anfield side, alongside those at Stamford Bridge, are interested in signing the young Englishman, with the Blues notably seeing a bid rejected over the summer.
Scott, 23, did of course work under Iraola at the Vitality Stadium, although Liverpool's interest stretches beyond that, with the club said to be monitoring his situation closely.
Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott
Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott
The Cherries are hoping to tie the playmaker down to a new deal that would include a potential release clause, although he has so far rebuffed multiple approaches from the south coast side, seemingly attempting to engineer a move with less than two years to run on his existing deal.
Prior reports indicated that he could fetch north of £80m if he were to leave in the near future, a fee that could even prove something of a bargain for a player whom England boss Thomas Tuchel described as "one of the outstanding midfielders" in the Premier League right now.
Like Wijnaldum was at St James' Park, Scott really does appear ready to make that next step in his career, having sparkled at the heart of Bournemouth's midfield in recent times.
England's Harry Kane, Marc Guehi, Alex Scott, Morgan Gibbs-White and Jarell Quansah during training
England's Harry Kane, Marc Guehi, Alex Scott, Morgan Gibbs-White and Jarell Quansah during training
He's a graceful, balletic footballer, yet one who offers so much out of possession too, a truly combative, all-action talent who can sometimes go under the radar.
That certainly sounds a little familiar, with Scott, like Wijnaldum, not necessarily brimming with goals and assists, yet he does impact games in key moments, always looking to progress play with a surging run from deep or a threaded, incisive pass.
The match-winner away at the Emirates last season, the Guernsey-born genius has already run the show against elite opposition, while he's started the new campaign in a rich vein of form too.
It is a small sample size, but he is averaging 2.2 key passes per game and a respectable 0.8 successful dribbles per game, all while averaging a stellar 7.2 ball recoveries.
He's already off the mark in terms of goals too, having ended last season with four goal involvements to his name, as many as Wijnaldum chalked up in 2019/20.
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There might have been more high-profile stars in Bournemouth's ranks in recent seasons, not least Antoine Semenyo or Eli Junior Kroupi, but Scott is the man keeping things ticking over, the puppet-master at the heart of the midfield.
He certainly has all the ingredients to be the second coming of Wijnaldum at Anfield.
Former Liverpool player Sadio Mane
Former Liverpool player Sadio Mane