What’s the story?
Ernesto Valverde's reign has begun at Barcelona, and the manager is wasting no time in getting the players he needs. The Catalan side reportedly had bids for Manchester United's Ander Herrera, and Nice's Seri turned down.
Barcelona have made a €100 million bid for Italy international Marco Verratti, according to La Gazzetta Dello Sport. The midfielder is also a target for Chelsea and Real Madrid.
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Verratti's agent has confirmed that his client is looking to move away from PSG this summer. The Italian midfielder has also handed in a transfer request at the Ligue 1 club according to reports.
However, the agent has also revealed that it's 'complicated' for the midfielder to leave Paris Saint-Germain. "It's very complicated [to leave], but we have expressed our ideas to PSG. We're not talking about Barcelona or other clubs, it's about projects," Di Campli told Sky Italia.
The heart of the matter
Valverde wants to sign a long-term replacement for Andres Iniesta this summer and is willing to break the bank for it. He see's Verratti as the ideal one and wants to sign him up at any cost.
Reports last week suggested that the Italian midfielder wanted to join Real Madrid over Barcelona. Yet, the agent keeps talking about the Catalan side than Los Blancos.
PSG are set to offer Verratti a new contract despite him having another four years on his current deal. They want to keep him at the club for as long as possible and are willing to making him one of the highest-paid players in the world.
Barcelona meanwhile are trying to test the Ligue 1 side by tabling a €100 million bid for him. The Catalan side are desperate to sign him and are ready to pay anything PSG ask.
What’s next?
Barcelona will make their first bid for the midfielder in the coming days. The reported €100 million bid would be more than enough for the club to secure the signing, but PSG might hold out for another €20-25 million.
With bids of over £100 million going in for raw talents like Kylian Mbappe, PSG know that clubs would be willing to spend the same on proven talents like Verratti.
Author’s Take
Getting Marco Verratti for €100 million is nothing significant in the market today. He's a brilliant midfielder and is worth the money Barcelona are willing to spend on him.
