Former Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has revealed that Joan Laporta blocked a deal to sign Georginio Wijnaldum during his time in charge.
After Wijnaldum left Liverpool in the summer of 2021, Koeman sought to sign him to expand his midfield options. However, the deal fell through, and the Dutch international eventually signed with Paris Saint-Germain.
What Did Koeman Say About Barcelona President Laporta?
Koeman, who was fired by Barca in October of last year, has now accused Laporta of being at fault for the deal’s failure.
Koeman reveals: “I wanted to bring Gini Wijnaldum to Barcelona, but the president Laporta preferred to annoy me and delay the signing…”, told @ADnl. 🔴🇳🇱 #FCB
“Wijnaldum chose to join Paris Saint Germain instead of Barcelona for that reason”. pic.twitter.com/zvPen9lgec
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 21, 2022
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“I tried to sign Wijnaldum for Barça but I failed because the President wanted to annoy me more than bringing in a player.
“That delayed the operation and for that reason, he opted for PSG. Otherwise, he would have played for Barcelona,” Koeman stated to AD.
Interestingly, Wijnaldum failed to impress in his first season at PSG. The Paris club decided to loan him to Jose Mourinho’s Roma during the summer transfer window.
However, due to a severe leg injury, the midfielder has since been sidelined. He is now dubbed a major question mark for the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign in Qatar.
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