Georgino Wijnaldum is set to leave Liverpool after five years as his contract comes to an end this summer.
Liverpool favourite Georginio Wijnaldum had to hold back the tears on Sunday as he played his last game at Anfield.
The Netherlands international is out of contract in the summer, and received a rousing ovation when he was taken off in the 77th minute for James Milner.
Wijnaldum ended his Liverpool career on a high, with the hosts beating Crystal Palace 2-0 to seal a place in next year’s Champions League.
“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?” Wijnaldum told Sky Sports after the final whistle.
“I hope 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. 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% 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.”
Liverpool finished the 2020-21 Premier League campaign at a canter, jumping from eighth to third in the last 10 games and ensuring their place in Europe’s top club competition when as recently as March a top-four placing looked a remote possibility.
“It’s really important” Wijnaldum said of Champions League qualification. “Normally you want to leave on a high winning something.
“Unfortunately this season it was not possible but I’m happy I can leave the club behind in the Champions League.
“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.”
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