Why Wijnaldum could be Arsenal bound six months after leaving Liverpool for PSG
Robin Bairner
- 10 Dec 2021 14:41 CST
- 3 min read
Georginio Wijnaldum’s eventful 2021 continues, with the former Liverpool star linked with a January transfer move to Arsenal less than six months after joining Paris Saint-Germain.
The Dutchman’s summer was in itself controversial. Wijnaldum appeared destined to move to Barcelona only for PSG to swoop in and sign the free agent at the last moment.
Since moving to Paris, though, things have not gone according to play for the 31-year-old.
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As such, Arsenal and Newcastle are among those sides linked with a possible January move for him as he seeks a way back to the Premier League.
Sky Sports reports the player is open to a move back to England, with PSG unwilling to give him up.
Nevertheless, the possibility of a move is one that is gaining momentum.
What’s gone wrong for Wijnaldum?
It has been difficult for Wijnaldum to acclimatise at PSG. He has played 20 times but has only started on 10 occasions.
Like many players at PSG, he has struggled to find his rhythm. Wijnaldum, though, has not been helped with the work of Mauricio Pochettino in this regard. The coach has regularly used him out of position, either on the right wing or as a No.10.
Wijnaldum had a coach in Liverpool who had strong principles, where everyone knew what role he had to do
- Thierry HenryFrance legend Thierry Henry has suggested that he needs a precise role, telling Amazon Prime: “Wijnaldum had a coach in Liverpool who had strong principles, where everyone knew what role he had to do.”
The suggestion is that the Netherlands star has struggled to cope with the more fluid approach PSG take to games.
In recent weeks, however, there have been signs of improvement. An important double against RB Leipzig in the Champions League finally got his PSG career underway in earnest and he has since netted a last-minute equaliser against Lens in Ligue 1.
Furthermore, he impressed on Tuesday in the clash with Club Brugge, playing a role that was reminiscent to the one he excelled at Liverpool with.
Wijnaldum, then, has known his problems at PSG and things are on an upwards trend for him – but that does not mean a January move is out of the question.
