Van Dijk urges ex-Liverpool team-mate Wijnaldum to ‘accept’ PSG reality amid Netherlands snub

Virgil van Dijk has said that former Liverpool team-mate Georginio Wijnaldum must “accept” that his Paris Saint-Germain struggles will cost him a Netherlands role.

Wijnaldum made himself a nailed-on starter at Anfield while working with Jurgen Klopp. In fact, the midfielder played 237 times for the Reds over a five-year spell.

However, he moved to PSG last summer as a free agent after failing to agree a new contract.

And since then, he has dropped off. While he made 38 appearances in his debut season in the French capital, 13 of his 31 Ligue 1 appearances were from the bench.

What’s more, he stayed on the bench for both legs of PSG’s Champions League last 16 defeat to Real Madrid.

As a result of his struggles, he did not make the Netherlands squad for the Nations League. It is the first time the 86-cap star has not made the squad since 2014.

Still, Liverpool centre-back Van Dijk has insisted that Wijnaldum must accept the reality of the situation as Louis van Gaal picks his best crop of players.

“I think – but I’m not the national coach – that Gini with his qualities always belongs in orange,” Van Dijk said after Friday’s 4-1 win over Belgium.

“But he’s not at the best stage of his career. He’s not comfortable in his own skin.

“He has to accept the choice that the national coach has made.”

Wijnaldum’s exclusion from the Netherlands squad after so long as a regular feature is concerning ahead of the World Cup.

Indeed, there is only one more international break in September before the Qatar tournament in November and December.

Wijnaldum must do all he can over the summer, in pre-season and at the start of next season to get himself back in the team. He has an excellent record on the international stage, scoring 26 goals