Georginio Wijnaldum has confirmed he will leave Liverpool on a free transfer this off season and suggested that the decision to depart was not his own.
The Dutchman is approaching the end of the five-year contract he signed upon arriving from Newcastle United in a £25m deal in July 2016.
In the build-up to his final appearance for the Reds – a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace that secured Champions League football for next season – both club and player had not let much slip over what the future held.
But, speaking after he was given a guard of honour by his team-mates, Wijnaldum explained that he will be leaving Anfield – and not of his own volition.
He told Sky Sports: I m fighting against tears right now. The people in Liverpool have shown me love during the five years. I will miss them, you know?
I hoped to have played many more years for the club but unfortunately things went different. I have to start a new adventure.
I knew I went to a big club. I remember that I was sitting in the living room and the manager said when I come to Liverpool we would win prizes.
Great to finish the season in front of supporters.
We ve missed you
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
I am happy it went that well. It would have been really painful to leave the club without any.
It s really special. Since I ve joined the fans have sung my name. Week-in, week-out they saw I was giving 100 per cent to give everything for this club.
That s what the supporters want to see and that s what they appreciate from me. It is something I m going to miss.
Barcelona were linked with a cut-price move for Wijnaldum last summer, while Bayern Munich have emerged as potential suitors in recent weeks.
However, the 30-year-old insists no decision over his next move has yet been made.
He added: I didn t sign somewhere else. Everyone knows in football everything can happen. The situation is right now that on 1 July I am not a Liverpool player.
We will see what I will do in the next couple of weeks. I will rest a little bit then go to the national team. I will have to look at my story and how everything went.
The fans deserve to know the story behind it.
