Kuyt backs Wijnaldum for Liverpool success

Wijnaldum, who was relegated with Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle side at the end of last season, has signed a five-year deal with the Merseyside club.

The 25-year-old is manager Jurgen Klopp’s seventh signing of the summer, following Loris Karius, Joel Matip, Marko Grujic, Sadio Mane, Ragnar Klavan and Alex Manninger to Anfield. I’ve have met him one time.

“He seems a great man – from the outside – because I don’t know how he works yet and I have to work with him”.

Wijnaldum contributed 11 goals from midfield for Newcastle last term but they all came at St James’ Park, with his performances away from home drawing criticism from some supporters.

The Netherlands global, 25, looks set to return to the Premier League, though, and Kuyt has backed his compatriot to make an instant impact at Liverpool.

“(It is) a wonderful transfer for Gini.

‘I always feel good with the number five and when I came to Liverpool the number five was free and that is why I took it’.

Another tick on the checklist for Klopp was Wijnaldum’s appetite to contribute to his long-term vision for Liverpool.

“He was watched by the scouts already in his youth days at Feyenoord as a very great talent”. He said: “I am so happy that we have got him and he can join us now in the USA”.

He was made to travel to Doncaster for a friendly on Wednesday but once Liverpool met the asking price Newcastle decided it was best to allow him to leave.

It will be hard to immediately replace Wijnaldum, but this could lead to Benitez barring a deal for Sissoko to avoid losing two top midfielders at the club. When you speak about football and can hear when you speak to a player that you know about the questions he has, you think “OK, he thinks a lot about football”.

“I really like following the journey of these guys, especially the special players and he’s a special player”.