Barca beat PSG to signing the Dutchman in 2019.
Abidal told Free Foot: "Frenkie told me, 'look, I haven't spoken to the Barça coach. That's why I made the decision to go to PSG, because I've spoken to (Thomas) Tuchel'.
"And I simply told him: 'At Barça, it's the institution that signs you, not the coach. And the second thing, with the price of the total transfer, you'll be an undisputed starter'."
Abidal also discussed Lamine Yamal's emergence.
The former Barca defender said: "He has become the player that everyone knows, but for me what is surprising is knowing that at La Masia there are players like him who come out from one day to the next and that makes me think of an interview with Mbappé who said, 'don't talk to me about age' and I think he was right.
"The level is what makes the difference. And, if he has the level we are seeing on the pitch, age matters little."