A year ago today, former Liverpool winger Ryan Babel offered Georginio Wijnaldum a piece of advice that he may have been wise to listen to.
The 35-year-old was asked about Wijnaldum’s future with the Reds this time last year, while the discussions surrounding a new contract for the midfielder were ongoing.
Wijnaldum ultimately became a free agent and opted to sign for PSG this summer, but not before his countryman had sent a timely warning about the pitfalls of leaving Anfield.
Babel signed for Liverpool from Ajax as a 20-year-old before deciding to join Hoffenheim in 2011 and the Netherlands international admitted that it was the "biggest regret" of his career.
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“I spent almost four years at Liverpool under Rafa Benitez and Kenny Dalglish,” Babel told The Mirror in January 2021, when asked about Wijnaldum.
“When I left to go and play in Germany, where TSG Hoffenheim had become a big force, it was to become the biggest regret of my career.
“The only reason I left was because I wanted to have more playing minutes to keep my place in the Holland team.
“But you don’t realise how dominating the playing style is at Liverpool until you play in a different team and league.
“I was brought up with really attacking football at Ajax. In the academy, you learn to play that way. When I moved to Liverpool, it was exactly the same. It is in the DNA of the club to play attacking football.”
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Wijanldum, who has played alongside Babel for the Dutch national side, has not enjoyed the most successful start to his PSG career.
The 31-year-old has made seven of his 16 league appearances as a substitute for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, having been a virtual ever-present in his six-year stint at Liverpool.
The experienced midfielder has been linked with a possible return to the Premier League during the January transfer window and has been open about the difficulties he’s experienced at his new club.
“I'm just working hard to do it as [well] as possible and change things around. I’m still learning with the manager with whom I'm working,” he told PSG’s club website .
“The country, of course, the language, the people in the country, it’s all new for me but also my family, so I just do my best to adapt.
“It takes time to get used to each other and get a really good team who knows each other quite well.”
