Wijnaldum Opens Up On Transfer: “I Didn’t Feel Loved”

Netherlands midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has opened up on what prompted his decision to move from Liverpool to Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

Wijnaldum turned down the opportunity to sign a new contract to remain at Anfield, opting to join the Ligue 1 giants on a free transfer instead.

It was reported that the 30-year-old wanted certain assurances in terms of a renewed overall package at Liverpool but the club were unwilling to grant them for a player of his age.

However, the Netherlands captain has claimed he didn’t leave for mostly financial reasons but because of social abuse from some Liverpool fans.

“Every day in training and in the game I gave everything, Liverpool meant so much to me. There was some moment when I didn’t feel love and appreciated there,” Wijnaldum told The Times

“Not by my team-mates, not the people at Melwood. I know they all loved me and loved them. It was not from that side, more from the other side.

“The fans in the stadium and the fans in social media were two different things. In the stadium, I can say nothing bad about them. They always supported me.

“On social media if we lost I was the one who got the blame [claiming] that I wanted to leave. There was a moment when I was like, ‘Wow, if they only knew what I was doing to stay fit and play every game!

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“You cannot complain because that is your job. But other players might have said, ‘I’m not fit.’ You get players in their last year who are like, ‘I’m not playing because it’s a risk!’ I did the opposite. I didn’t always play good but after the game I could look in the mirror and say, ‘I trained hard to get better’.

Wijnaldum was quick to point out that he didn’t always feel that way but only started to feel it in the last two seasons of his contract.

“There was a moment when I didn’t feel loved. In the last two seasons I had it a few times. The media didn’t help. There was a story like I didn’t accept the [Liverpool] offer because I wanted more money, and the fans made it like ‘OK, he didn’t get the offer so he doesn’t try his best to win games!’

“Everything looked like it was against me. Some moments it was like, ‘Wow, me again?’

“I got so much love not only from the fans but the manager and the players, the people who worked at the club. Players came to me saying, ‘This is your last training session, this is your last week at the club!’

“It was really difficult and also emotional. A lot of time I had to fight against my tears. The love everyone showed [during and after that final game, against Crystal Palace] was beautiful.”

Wijnaldum made 237 appearances for Liverpool since joining from Newcastle in July 2016. He won the Champions League and Premier League during his five-year spell at Anfield.

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