What Georginio Wijnaldum can bring to Barcelona's midfield

According to various sources, Georginio Wijnaldum has agreed to join Barcelona on a free transfer before the Euros. He has reportedly agreed to a three-year contract and will command a salary similar to Sergio Aguero.

He was one of the main architects of Barcelona's loss to Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final two years ago, scoring twice in a 4-0 win at Anfield. However, the news was met with mixed reactions from fans around the world and question marks were raised about what he brought to the club.

With the deal almost done, we will try to analyze what the Dutchman can bring to Barcelona's midfield.

Gini Wijnaldum to Barcelona, confirmed and here we go! 🔴🔵 #FCBThe verbal agreement has been reached, Wijnaldum is joining Barça until June 2024. He’s expected to sign his contract in the next few days - work in progress to complete the deal reducing Gini’s salary. ⏳ https://t.co/TlqznhJfBh

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 26, 2021

Wijnaldum was one of the most important players in Liverpool's midfield. He played a crucial role in the Reds' Premier League and Champions League-winning campaigns.

Wijnaldum was a great physical presence at Liverpool as he covered for the attacking full-backs in Klopp's gegenpress system. He was not someone who could provide through balls or break the lines with his passing, but his stamina and defensive ability were vital to Klopp's style of play.

Playing in a deep pivot role, Georginio Wijnaldum provided cover for the backline as he kept opposition threats at bay. In the recently concluded EPL campaign, the midfielder made 24 successful tackles, out of which 16 tackles came in the midfield region.

The lack of a defensive midfielder has hurt Barcelona multiple times this season, especially in big games where they could not cope with the physicality of their opponents in the middle of the park.

The arrival of Georginio Wijnaldum would provide stability to Barcelona's midfield and could help them close out tight games. Along with his defensive abilities, he can also be a problem for opposition defenders when deployed higher up in the midfield and can provide an aerial threat in the opposition box.

He has the ability to make late runs in the box and has come up with crucial goals for Liverpool (something the Catalans will be well aware of) in recent years.

With Sergio Aguero and Memphis Depay also reportedly arriving, Georginio Wijnaldum is expected to play a deeper role at Barcelona, providing cover for the defense. He can be used in place of or alongside Sergio Busquets and can also be deployed in front of Busquets as a box-to-box midfielder.

Georginio Wijnaldum has played with Frenkie de Jong for the Dutch national team.

Georginio Wijnaldum could give fullbacks Jordi Alba and Sergino Dest more freedom in attack by taking on the defensive responsibilities while both of them venture forward. He could also enable Frenkie de Jong to venture forward in attack and already has the experience of playing alongside him for the Netherlands. He could also be used as an impact sub to close out games in the final minutes.

Barcelona do not have many experienced options to cover for the ageing Sergio Busquets. Wijnaldum's arrival would ease the pressure on Busquets and would also bring experience that could prove vital in big games. Getting someone like Wijnaldum free during the club's financial crisis could prove to be a shrewd business by Joan Laporta and would definitely add more quality to Barca's midfield.