Following Joe Allen’s departure can Georginio Wijnaldum flourish at Liverpool?

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It has been a busy few days at Liverpool. Having swooped to sign their seventh player this summer in Georginio Wijnaldum from relegated Newcastle United, another midfielder in the shape of “the Welsh Xavi” Joe Allen, saw himself through the exit door in a £13m deal to link up with his compatriot Mark Hughes at Stoke City.

The Reds already have a large number of centre-midfielders at Anfield, and with Allen’s opportunities in 2015/16 increasingly scarce as he fell down the pecking order under Jurgen Klopp, a departure always seemed a possibility. But is it a departure which will pave the way for Dutchman Wijnaldum to step unto the void and really show his quality on Merseyside?

Allen only managed to play a full 90 minutes for Liverpool on three occasions last season, whereas Wijnaldum in his one and only season in the Premier League played a starring role in a Newcastle side that eventually succumbed to relegation, but he was an obvious bright spark on Tyneside, scoring 11 goals in an effort to keep the Magpies above danger. Six of those goals may have come in two matches, but Liverpool have recruited a player who like the departed Allen is versatile, and his contribution in front of goal suggests he will add considerably more than the three his counterpart managed in 2015/16.

At £25 million, Wijnaldum may have seemed an initially head-scratching buy given Liverpool’s already vast collection of midfield options. Allen was still on the books upon his arrival, along with Adam Lallana, James Milner, Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and newer signings Sadio Mane and Marko Grujic. However as Allen makes way, this may give fans a clue as to where Klopp will use the Dutchman next season.

Allen for Wales and for Liverpool would tend to play a deeper role, not only in winning the ball back, but with his creative class, he would be able to play a maestro role in playing passes, bringing the play forward and creating opportunities from deep to help seize control of matches. The versatile Wijnaldum is capable of being deployed in such a role, as shown by his club form, and his displays at the 2014 World Cup for the Netherlands whilst still at PSV.

Wijnaldum is also a slightly more physically domineering option than Allen, though he does carry a similar hard-work ethic and is well-drilled tactically. His quick transitioning of the ball from defence to attack after winning possession will benefit Liverpool, particularly against stronger opposition, and as shown by his form at Newcastle, he is capable of dictating play as a play-maker, the type of quality player Liverpool have missed since the departure of Xabi Alonso.

As well as sitting deep, Wijnaldum’s versatility also renders him a viable option in a more attacking role if necessary, and he has the energy levels to play a box-to-box role in big games as a midfield engine, rather than simply a screen for the defence or an option to wreak havoc behind the forwards.

Given much of Wijnaldum’s similarities to Allen in his versatility in midfield and their respective playing styles in transitioning play effectively, it wouldn’t have made sense for Liverpool to have two such like-minded midfielders at the club and waste one on the bench. With Allen having found himself out of favour, and ultimately out of the exit door in search of first team football in the Potteries, the way is paved for Wijnaldum to step into the role and really make that midfield slot at Anfield his own. He deserves another opportunity in the Premier League not only for his efforts at a doomed Newcastle last season, but also his international pedigree and his superb form in Eredivisie football before that.

At Liverpool, the Dutchman has such an opportunity at a big club once again. Now it is up to him to flourish where Allen failed.

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