"He is just as hungry as when he first signed"- Tony Cascarino raves over Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum

Liverpool capped off an excellent performance against West Ham with a 3-1 win, as Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum's strike sealed all 3 points for Jurgen Klopp's men at the London Stadium.

The 30-year-old has been the subject of much debate during the course of this season, as a renewal of his contract is pending- with 6 months left on his current deal.

Recently, former Chelsea forward and football pundit Tony Cascarino weighed in on the debate in his regular column for The Times, claiming the Dutchman sums up Liverpool's positive attitude.

"If anyone sums up the positive attitude of this Liverpool team, it is Georginio Wijnaldum," Cascarino wrote. "His performance levels for Liverpool have not dropped. Part of Liverpool’s success over the past three seasons is down to the fact that they have not had any players rocking the boat."

⚽️ Georginio Wijnaldum has marked his 200th PL appearance with a goal - only 4 of his 27 PL goals have been scored away pic.twitter.com/KzfXGeTY9S

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) January 31, 2021

Cascarino further went on to compare the 30-year-old midfielder with Philippe Coutinho, who left Liverpool for Barcelona in 2018.

"Think back to the months before Philippe Coutinho left for Barcelona in January 2018," the Irishman said. "He nonetheless remained a key figure in Jürgen Klopp’s team until his departure, scoring 12 goals in all competitions. There has been a similar commitment from Wijnaldum."

Liverpool are yet to finalise a contract-extension for Wijnaldum, and Cascarino believes that if Jurgen Klopp lets the Dutchman go, it will be because he has a replacement readily lined up.

"He always runs hard, never shies away from a challenge and is just as hungry as when he first signed. Wijnaldum is 30 and if he does leave, I am sure Klopp will know he can find a replacement," Cascarino concluded.

Could Georginio Wijnaldum move to Barcelona amid Liverpool contract frustration?

Jurgen Klopp (L) and Georginio Wijnaldum

Georginio Wijnaldum's contract negotiations with Liverpool have been a contentious topic of debate over the past few months, with the Reds offering the Dutchman a new deal as recently as December, which Wijanldum reportedly rejected.

.@FabrizioRomano: “The last offer from Liverpool was in December and Wijnaldum wasn’t happy with it. He’s really respectful of the club and of the fanbase. He’s not going to sign for a new club until he’s told Liverpool what he’s going to do." ✍️🔴https://t.co/NP2oQ9YuxY

— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) January 28, 2021

The rumour mill has been been rife with news about Wijnaldum moving away from Merseyside this summer, despite being a mainstay in Jurgen Klopp's side over the past few seasons.

A vast majority of clubs around Europe have shown interest in the 30-year-old, with Barcelona leading the line under Ronald Koeman's tutelage, someone Wijnaldum worked with during his time with the Dutch national team.

Amid heavy interest from the Blaugrana, the Dutchman has recently confirmed to Sky Sport that there are no updates regarding his future with the Reds at the moment, and that the updates must come from the club and not him.