Profile: Liverpool’s new £25m man, Georginio Wijnaldum

If I gave you a choice to start your season at Craven Cottage or the Emirates, what would you choose? With respect to the Cottagers, there is really only one answer. It’s the option that Georginio Wijnaldum has chosen.

After the Toon’s relegation in May, questions were asked up in the north east. Who would remain? Who would go? Now the latest star Newcastle player to move back to England’s top division is Wijnaldum as he made the trip from the north east to the north west.

Shoot takes a look at the Dutch star and what he can offer Jurgen Klopp’s men with the season just weeks away.

Where did it all start for Wijnaldum?

Born on Remembrance Day in 1990, Wijnaldum spent his early years with the surname of Boateng. However, following his mother taking a divorce when the future footballing star was six, his surname changed to his mother’s maiden name.

It may come as a surprise to you, but unlike countless other footballers, Wijnaldum initially didn’t have an interest in the beautiful game. He never played with a ball and rarely watched the game on television. Instead, his hobby was gymnastics and his aspiration was to be an acrobat. That was until his uncle asked him to come along to an open day at Sparta Rotterdam, at which point he was hooked.

Inevitably, as a result of his talent, he remained part of the academy at the Eredivisie side and won two junior championships in his first two seasons. There were options to join the more illustrious names in Dutch football, with PSV, Ajax and Feyenoord declaring an interest; but he declined them all.

However, after representing his national side at various levels and spending seven seasons with the south Holland outfit, he made the move to Feyenoord in 2007. Playing with the likes of Leroy Fer, Wijnaldum was soon invited to spend time with the first team in the winter of 2007 by then manager Erwin Koeman, Wijnaldum accomplished the dream of first team football a few months later when he made his debut for the 14-time League champions.

Georginio Wijnaldum scored all of his league goals for Newcastle United at St James’ Park. Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

What happened next?

It was April 2007, and while Birmingham City and Sunderland celebrated promotion to the Premier League, a future top division star was starting out in the professional game. Wijnaldum made his debut in a 4-0 victory over FC Groningen on Easter Sunday, winning the man of the match award as he became the club’s youngest ever player.

Following 10 league appearences in the 2007/08 season, Wijnaldum was to hold down a first team position for the following season, making 33 appearences and scoring four goals. He would eventually become a regular at the De Kuip with him becoming a fans’ favourite by 2011. However, by this year, it was time for a change of scenery. Maybe that came in England with Kenny Dalglish chasing the signature of the then 20-year-old. But it was Holland where he remained as he made the trip an hour up the road to PSV.

How did he perform in Eindhoven?

As the summer of 2011 drew to a close, Wijnaldum made the move to Eindhoven for a reported fee of €5 million. Just three appearences into his spell with the 1988 European Cup winners, he bagged his first goal in a fixture against an ADO Den Haag side who would go on to narrowly avoid relegation.

He consistently remained part of the starting XI in the league and, by 2013, Wijnaldum became the club captain following the retirement of Mark van Bommel and the departure of Kevin Strootman to Roma.

However, the 2013-14 season was one of his darkest seasons of professional football with him only making 11 appearences due to a back injury.

Not to worry, however, as manager Phillip Cocu believed in the talent of the Rotterdam-born midfielder. He would eventually go on to make 33 appearences and score 14 goals in the league – just seven less than a certain Memphis Depay – as PSV won their 22nd league title, beating Ajax by 17 points.

But like most players the dream is always to play Premier League football. Wijnaldum was no exception and the opportunity came in the form of Newcastle in July of last year.

Wijnaldum celebrates scoring a goal against Southampton. Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

How did he perform in the Premier League?

Wijnaldum joined the Toon just weeks before one of their worst-ever Premier League seasons. Morale was high in the north east when the Dutch star made the move to England, with fans praising Mike Ashley for the capture of Wijnaldum despite the initial £14.5 million cost – the fee makes him the most expensive signing since Ashley took over the club in May 2007.

And if there was one man who could guide Newcastle out of relegation fears it would certainly be Wijnaldum. This initially looked to be the case, when he scored a goal on his top-flight debut in a 2-2 home draw against Southampton.

His highlight came in the home clash with Norwich City. He scored four goals in a 6-2 victory over the Canaries, becoming the second Newcastle player to score more than three goals in a Premier League game.

Wijnaldum would eventually go on to score 11 league goals, including one against his future employees Liverpool. But after injury worries at the back and despite the best efforts of Rafa Benitez, Newcastle were condemned back to the Championship for the first time since 2010 in May.

What about on the international front?

After showing potential in his early days at Sparta Rotterdam, Wijnaldum has flirted with the national side for many years. His initial opportunity came in the early summer of 2007 when he represented his nation at the 2007 Under-17 European Championships.

After developing through the youth ranks of the Dutch national side and becoming a regular for the Under-21 side during the 2011 Under-21 European Championships, Wijnaldum eventually was called into the Dutch senior squad later that year. He made his international debut in September of that year in a fixture against minnows San Marino; they won 11-0.

Despite not featuring for the Dutch at Euro 2012, Wijnaldum did make the 2014 World Cup squad. Here he featured in most games for Louis van Gaal’s men and scored in the third-place play-off fixture against a Brazilian side who just days earlier were humiliated by Germany.

Super Stat: Wijnaldum ended a 15-game goal drought on the final day of the 2015/16 Premier League season.