'The president wanted to annoy me' - Ex-Barcelona boss Koeman slams Laporta for blocking Wijnaldum transfer

• Koeman wanted compatriot Wijnaldum
• Laporta did not approve the transfer
• Wijnaldum joined PSG instead

WHAT HAPPENED? Koeman wanted to sign Wijnaldum following his exit from Liverpool in the summer of 2021 to bolster his options in midfield, but the move did not go through and the Dutch international ultimately ended up joining Paris Saint-Germain. Koeman, who was sacked by Barca in October last year, has now pointed the finger of blame at Laporta for the collapse of the deal.

WHAT THEY SAID: "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.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Wijnaldum struggled in his first season at PSG and was loaned out to Jose Mourinho's Roma in the summer transfer window. The midfielder has since been sidelined due to a serious leg injury and is now a serious doubt for the Netherlands' World Cup campaign in Qatar.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

Getty Images

Getty Images

Getty Images

WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA? The Blaugrana will return to action after the ongoing international break to take on Mallorca in a La Liga fixture on October 2.