Premier League: Georginio Wijnaldum convinced by Jurgen Klopp to choose Liverpool

Former Newcastle United midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has received offers from several clubs this summer, including Tottenham and Everton, but eventually chose to join Liverpool after a conversation with manager Jurgen Klopp. The Dutch international agreed a five-year contract with the Reds, who paid 23 million pounds to Newcastle. It seems the German manager has been following Wijnaldum since his early days as a professional footballer in the Netherlands.

“It was straight after the conversation I had with Jurgen Klopp that I had the feeling that I wanted to come to Liverpool,” said Wijnaldum after his first training session at the new club. “Of course Liverpool is a big club with a good history. Everyone knows that. But there had to be a match. He's in charge and if a great trainer like him wants you then it gives you more confidence to come to a club like this. There was interest from Everton yes, but Liverpool had more interest. Jurgen gave me a good feeling in that conversation. Straight after that I wanted to sign for Liverpool.”

“In that conversation he made me feel really good. He gave me a lot of confidence because he said he liked my way of playing football," the midfielder added. “He said I was a person he really wanted to have in his squad. Something like that is always good to hear. It made me happy, especially as it came from such a great trainer like Jurgen Klopp. He showed how good he is at Dortmund with all the success he had. It's always great when a trainer of that kind of ability says he needs you in his team.”

Wijnaldum chose to leave Newcastle after the club got relegated to the Championship, even if Magpies boss Rafa Benitez wanted him to stay. The Dutch midfielder scored 11 goals in 38 league appearances for Newcastle.

Liverpool are 8/1 at Bet365 to win the Premier League next season.