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Wijnaldum: Klopp’s why I joined
- Updated: September 30, 2016
Georginio Wijnaldum says it took him just one meeting with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp to decide to move to Anfield last summer.
Wijnaldum joined Liverpool from Newcastle United in a £25m deal following the Magpies’ relegation from the Premier League.
And the Netherlands international, who expects to line up in midfield for the Reds when they take on Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday lunch time in a match you can see live on Sky Sports 2 HD, has revealed how Klopp convinced him to join the club.
“We had one meeting, which was already convincing, and after that I was with my agent and I said: ‘Let’s see how serious they are,'” said Wijnaldum in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports.
“But we had a meeting on the Sunday and on the Monday they called my agent to make me an offer and they went to Newcastle to make the deal.
“So that already gave me a feeling that he [Klopp] really wants me in his team, and that was a great feeling.”
However, key to persuading Wijnaldum to swap St James’ Park for Anfield was Klopp’s belief he could make him better as a player.
“Before we even had a conversation, he asked me: ‘Why were you sitting on the bench last season?’ because I had two games I was on the bench last season,” he said.
“I explained to him and said: ‘OK we can now have a conversation.’ We talked about football and how he wants to play, how he sees me in his team.
“And also that he can make me a much better player because he said: ‘You can develop much more than you have now.’
“I also had it in my head that I can be much better than right now and I had a feeling that he was the right man to help me with that.”
Despite seamlessly settling into life on Merseyside, Wijnaldum – who has started every Premier League matches so far for Liverpool, providing two assists along the way – still thinks he can improve certain aspects of his game.
“To be fair, I settled in quite quick, but I am not really happy with my own performances, because I know I can do better,” said the Dutchman who captained PSV Eindhoven at the age of just 22 while leading them to their first Eredivisie title for seven years.
“I will …
