Barcelona Reportedly Preparing Bid for Liverpool Midfielder Gini Wijnaldum

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Regardless of whether or not Gini leaves Liverpool, I do not miss Barcelona’s protracted transfer media circus.

It hasn’t even been a week since Barcelona was first linked with Georginio Wijnaldum, but Barca’s relentless transfer rumor mill can get straight in the bin. Of course, we’ve seen it all before, with Philippe Coutinho’s contentious and drawn-out saga being the most recent example.

First Barca “leak” stories to local media outlets, even going so far as naming a (lowball) price for the player. Then these leaks intensify. Perhaps current or former players will come forward, talking about what a good fit Gini would be. All without, you know, even contacting Liverpool Football Club.

It’s how Barcelona do business. Whereas Liverpool prefer to do most of their business behind closed doors, often only announcing a move once it’s completed, Barca love the circus. It’s even part of their strategy.

The upshot of all of this is that Barcelona almost certainly want Wijnaldum. Perhaps they want one of the best midfielders in the world. Or maybe they want to be reminded about the Miracle of Anfield every day. Who could blame them?

Today, reliable journalists on the Liverpool end like The Times’ Paul Joyce and The Telegraph’s Chris Bascombe confirmed that Barcelona are interested and that Liverpool are expecting to receive an offer for the player. Well, go on then, Barca. Shit or get off the pot. Don’t tell us you’re going to offer something, do it already.

So, will an offer mean that Gini’s gone? Bascombe wasn’t convinced that Wijnaldum was definitely out the door. He reports that while Gini would be happy to stay on Merseyside, and that the club still see him as a valuable player they’d be happy to keep for the current season before seeing him leave on a free. Though of course that all could be meant as a simple we don’t have to sell message to force Barcelona’s pending bid up.

Personally, I’d love to see Gini stay both now and in the foreseeable future. But if Barca want to offer an aging midfielder loads of money, that’s their business.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com