At sixteen years old Gini Wijnaldum was Feyenoord's youngest ever player when he made his debut for them towards the end of the 2006/07 season. A product of their youth system, he remained there until 2011 when he was transferred to PSV Eindhoven, where he was a consistent performer getting goals and assists from midfield. Only in 2013-14 when Gini regularly was out with a back problem did he fail to reach double figures.
A £14.5 million transfer to Newcastle took place in the summer of 2015 after Wijnaldum had helped PSV to the Eredivisie title. He scored eleven goals from midfield but was unable to prevent Newcastle from being relegated. Two of those goals were against Liverpool in December 2015 and seemed to make a lasting impression on Klopp. Wijnaldum covers a lot of ground, wins possession, is quick, dangerous running from deep into the box and good in the air. Gini was a regular in his first two seasons at Liverpool, although as at Newcastle continued to find the net at home but not away. This was quite possibly down to him adopting a more defensive role in away games. After scoring in Roma in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final in May 2018, Gini finally got a Premiership away goal against Tottenham at Wembley on 15 September 2018.
Despite the arrival of Naby Keita and Fabinho, coupled with James Milner showing no signs of easing up, Wijnaldum featured 35 times in the Premier League during 2018/19. Gini was disappointed to start the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona on the bench but came on in the second half to score twice in as many minutes to level the tie. He started the final against Madrid but was replaced by Milner shortly after the hour mark, but he is a Champions League winners' medal richer.
Wijnaldum was a firm fixture in Liverpool's midfield in the unique 2019/20 season, showered by praise by Klopp in October 2019. “It is just so obvious Gini's importance. It is both directions, small spaces, big spaces, it is hard challenges, fine football, pretty much all of that. Is he the perfect midfielder? From the skillset 100 per cent. He has all the things you need. There was his header against Barcelona too. He is not the tallest, but he is good in the air. He is a good jumper with good timing, all that stuff. It all makes him a pretty good footballer. That is how it should be. It is not my fault if he goes under the radar. You cannot ask me why he goes under the radar. I don’t set the radar!” Klopp concluded.
Wijnaldum signed for Paris St Germain in the summer of 2021 after his contract expired following five eventful years at Liverpool. However things didn't go quite to plan playing alongside Neymar, Mbappe and Messi. He was substituted in twelve of his eighteen league starts and at the end of the campaign was named Flop of the Season by Get French Football News. Wijnaldum was given a clear indication of where he fitted in at PSG when he was left out of a pre season tour squad in July 2022 and soon afterwards he joined Roma on a season long loan deal. He was limited to fourteen appearances due to a tibia fracture and for 2023/24 has been reunited with Jordan Henderson, joining Saudi pro league side Al Ettifaq.
Season | League | FA | LC | Europe | Other | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Totals | 179 | 5 | 7 | 44 | 2 | 237 |
2016-2017 | 36 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 42 |
2017-2018 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 50 |
2018-2019 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 47 |
2019-2020 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 47 |
2020-2021 | 38 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 51 |
Apps | Minutes | Opponent |
---|---|---|
13 | 1054 | Manchester City |
12 | 901 | Southampton |
12 | 805 | Arsenal |
11 | 884 | Tottenham |
11 | 861 | Leicester City |
11 | 800 | Chelsea |
10 | 767 | Manchester United |
10 | 648 | Everton |
9 | 657 | Crystal Palace |
8 | 720 | West Ham United |
8 | 694 | Brighton & Hove Albion |
8 | 685 | Burnley |
8 | 571 | Watford |
7 | 617 | Bournemouth |
7 | 525 | Wolves |
7 | 504 | Newcastle United |
7 | 453 | WBA |
5 | 344 | Aston Villa |
4 | 360 | Stoke City |
4 | 360 | Sheffield United |
4 | 337 | Swansea City |
4 | 310 | Fulham |
4 | 275 | Napoli |
4 | 214 | Huddersfield Town |
3 | 270 | Leeds United |
3 | 270 | Real Madrid |
2 | 196 | Atletico Madrid |
2 | 180 | Sevilla |
2 | 180 | Hoffenheim |
2 | 180 | Porto |
2 | 180 | Ajax |
2 | 180 | Bayern Munich |
2 | 180 | Red Star Belgrade |
2 | 180 | Cardiff City |
2 | 177 | Middlesbrough |
2 | 172 | Red Bull Leipzig |
2 | 163 | Sunderland |
2 | 162 | Roma |
2 | 156 | Paris St Germain |
2 | 154 | FC Salzburg |
2 | 150 | Norwich City |
2 | 143 | Atalanta |
2 | 122 | Barcelona |
2 | 107 | Spartak Moscow |
2 | 107 | Genk |
2 | 93 | NK Maribor |
1 | 90 | Hull City |
1 | 44 | Midtjylland |
1 | 26 | Burton Albion |
Total | Started/substitutions |
---|---|
206 | Started |
7 | On the bench |
31 | Substitute |
67 | Substituted |
Total | Venue |
---|---|
116 | Away |
116 | Home |
5 | Neutral |
Total | Competition |
---|---|
179 | Premier League |
43 | Champions League |
7 | League Cup |
5 | FA Cup |
2 | Community Shield |
1 | European Super Cup |
Total | W | D | L | Win % | Manager |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
237 | 152 | 43 | 42 | 64.1% | Jürgen Klopp |
Season | League | FA | LC | Europe | Other | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Totals | 16 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 22 |
2016-2017 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
2017-2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
2018-2019 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
2019-2020 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
2020-2021 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Total | Opponent |
---|---|
2 | West Ham United |
2 | Barcelona |
2 | Chelsea |
1 | Manchester City |
1 | Roma |
1 | Atletico Madrid |
1 | Genk |
1 | Cardiff City |
1 | Sheffield United |
1 | Middlesbrough |
1 | Aston Villa |
1 | Huddersfield Town |
1 | Everton |
1 | Wolves |
1 | Burnley |
1 | Arsenal |
1 | Tottenham |
1 | Watford |
1 | Bournemouth |
Total | Started/substitutions |
---|---|
19 | Started |
3 | Substitute |
Total | Competition |
---|---|
16 | Premier League |
5 | Champions League |
1 | FA Cup |
Total | Goal minute period |
---|---|
3 | 1-15 minutes |
1 | 16-30 minutes |
6 | 31-45 minutes |
6 | 46-60 minutes |
2 | 61-75 minutes |
4 | 76-90 minutes |
Total | Goal origin |
---|---|
22 | Open play |
Season | League | FA | LC | Europe | Other | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Totals | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 15 |
2016-2017 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
2017-2018 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
2018-2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2019-2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2020-2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | Opponent |
---|---|
2 | West Ham United |
2 | Tottenham Hotspur |
1 | Bournemouth |
1 | Porto |
1 | Sevilla |
1 | Leicester City |
1 | West Bromwich Albion |
1 | Arsenal |
1 | Middlesbrough |
1 | Swansea City |
1 | Stoke City |
1 | Leeds United |
1 | Southampton |
Total | Competition |
---|---|
11 | Premier League |
2 | Champions League |
2 | League Cup |
Total | For player |
---|---|
3 | Adam Lallana |
3 | Roberto Firmino |
2 | Sadio Mané |
2 | Divock Origi |
1 | Danny Ings |
1 | Daniel Sturridge |
1 | Philippe Coutinho |
1 | Ben Woodburn |
1 | Mohamed Salah |
# | Date | Against | Stadium | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 14.08.2016 | Arsenal | Emirates Stadium | League |
50 | 19.09.2017 | Leicester City | Leicester City Stadium | League Cup |
100 | 29.09.2018 | Chelsea | Stamford Bridge | League |
150 | 02.10.2019 | FC Salzburg | Anfield | Europe |
200 | 22.11.2020 | Leicester City | Anfield | League |
# | Minute | Date | Against | Stadium | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 90 | 06.11.2016 | Watford | Anfield | League |
Club | Season | Club rank | League apps | League goals | Total apps | Total goals |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Feyenoord | 2006-2007 | Holland 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Feyenoord | 2007-2008 | Holland 1 | 10 | 1 | 12 | 1 |
Feyenoord | 2008-2009 | Holland 1 | 33 | 4 | 45 | 5 |
Feyenoord | 2009-2010 | Holland 1 | 31 | 4 | 38 | 5 |
Feyenoord | 2010-2011 | Holland 1 | 34 | 14 | 37 | 14 |
PSV Eindhoven | 2011-2012 | Holland 1 | 32 | 8 | 50 | 14 |
PSV Eindhoven | 2012-2013 | Holland 1 | 33 | 14 | 49 | 16 |
PSV Eindhoven | 2013-2014 | Holland 1 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 4 |
PSV Eindhoven | 2014-2015 | Holland 1 | 33 | 14 | 44 | 18 |
Newcastle United | 2015-2016 | Premier League | 38 | 11 | 40 | 11 |
Paris St Germain | 2021-2022 | France 1 | 31 | 1 | 38 | 3 |
Roma | 2022-2023 | Italy 1 | 14 | 2 | 23 | 2 |
Total | 303 | 77 | 394 | 93 |