REVEALED: Georginio Wijnaldum says former Liverpool team-mate Mo Salah CONVINCED him to leave PSG for Roma this summer… with the Dutch midfielder full of praise for new manager Jose Mourinho’s record
- Georginio Wijnaldum reveals Mo Salah convinced him to join Serie A side Roma
- His former team-mate spent two seasons in the Italian capital playing 83 games
- Wijnaldum also spoke to Achraf Hakimi and Dutch team-mate Kevin Strootman
- He piled on praise for his new manager Jose Mourinho’s record in club football
Georginio Wijnaldum revealed he his former Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah persuaded him to sign for Roma.
Speaking at his first press conference as a Roma midfielder, the Dutch midfielder admitted that he was convinced to sign for the Europa Conference League champions after the efforts they had made to sign him, as well as a conversation with Salah.
The Egyptian forward was on the books at the Italian club for two seasons before joining Liverpool, where we went on to play 182 games with Wijnaldum, who joins the Roman club on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.
Georginio Wijnaldum (centre right) revealed how his former Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah (centre left) persuaded him to join Roma on loan from Paris Saint-Germain
The Holland midfielder told reporters: ‘I wanted to come because of the effort the club made to sign me and because I spoke to Mo Salah and Kevin Strootman about the club and the city and I only heard good stories about it.
‘I also spoke to Achraf Hakimi, even if he played for Inter, he said that Roma is a beautiful club. That convinced me a lot also because I knew the club.
‘We played once with Liverpool and the atmosphere was amazing, I knew I’d play for a club with beautiful supporters, it was the only thing that I knew.
The ex-Liverpool midfielder will wear the No 25 for the Europa Conference League champions
‘What convinced me the most was the effort Tiago Pinto put in to sign me. I felt wanted and appreciated and that made me make the decision.’
Wijnaldum found himself forced out of the Ligue 1 champions despite only being a year into his stay at the French capital, where he was a largely peripheral presence.
And although Jose Mourinho did not play an influential role in convincing…