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Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has reportedly decided to leave the club at the end of his contract this summer and join Barcelona.
A report in The Sunday Times has said that Georginio Wijnaldum has already agreed on a pre-contract with the Blaugrana and will join them when the summer transfer window opens.
If the deal for Georginio WIjnaldum does go through, it will be seen as new Barcelona president Joan Laporta's vote of confidence for Ronald Koeman, as the Liverpool player is one of the head coach's key transfer targets.
Georginio Wijnaldum, who joined Liverpool from Newcastle United in the summer of 2016, runs out of contract with the club at the end of this season.
From January, the Dutchman has been free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with other clubs, and it now looks like Barcelona have succeeded in snapping up his services.
Wijnaldum played a starring role for the Netherlands under Ronald Koeman, who used him as an advanced midfielder to provide a thrust in the final third. That is evident in the number of goal-contributions Wijnaldum had for the Oranje under Koeman.
Earlier this season, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had said that he would be happy if Georginio Wijnaldum would stay at Liverpool beyond the current season. The Dutchman has been one of the ever-presents in a Liverpool side ravaged by injuries this campaign.
I would be devastated if I didn't play with Liverpool any more: Georginio Wijnaldum
Before Liverpool's Champions League Round of 16 second leg against RB Leipzig, Georginio Wijnaldum spoke about how it would be difficult to leave the club after spending five years there.
"Really difficult. If that happens, you would be leaving a team that you really love. A team that you shared a lot of years together, a team where you feel really comfortable. That would be difficult but, on the other side, you would know the situation why you have to leave. It always depends on the situation but I would be devastated if I didn't play with this team any more, that's for sure," Wijnaldum said.
However, before Wijnaldum's transfer is finalised, both Liverpool and Barcelona have unfinished business this season. The Reds are five points behind Chelsea in the race for the top four, with nine games left to play. They also have a Champions League quarter-final coming up against Real Madrid.
For Barcelona, the La Liga title race is still on. They are four points behind leaders Atletico Madrid, with 11 games left to play in the season. They also have the Copa Del Rey final coming up next month, where they will face Athletic Bilbao.
