What’s the story?
Paris St-Germain have reportedly received a massive €78 million bid for Marco Verratti from Inter Milan, according to reports in Italy. Earlier, Verratti’s agent, Donato di Campli had fueled rumours of a move abroad by saying, “Marco is well in Paris, but his career is not only in the French league.”
In case you didn’t know...
Marco Verratti is perhaps the best defensive midfielder in the world at the moment, and has yet to reach his peak, being only 24-years-old. The midfield maestro’s contract with PSG runs till the end of 2018, and he has reportedly made it clear that he wants to leave the club, after a dismal first half of the season under new manager Unai Emery. With less than 18 months left on his contract, PSG are hoping to cash out on Verratti and comfortably recoup the €11 million they paid Delfino Pescara for the then 19-year-old.
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The heart of the matter
Inter Milan are the latest entrants in the race for Marco Verratti, although they are perhaps the club willing to part with the largest amount for his services. Serie A rivals Juventus have apparently also tabled a €60 million bid, with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea all making their interest clear.
According to reports in Italy though, Inter have stolen a march on their rivals by offering a sizable salary thanks to the backing of Chinese investors Suning. The Nerazzuri have already begun talks with Verratti’s agent, Donato di Campli, having met with him a number of times in Milan.
What’s next?
While €78 million would be a sizable fee for most players, in a world where Paul Pogba is sold for €105 million, PSG might hold out for a better fee, especially given the stature of the clubs involved. Real Madrid would be put off by such a fee, especially given how highly Zinedine Zidane rates Casemiro.
Sportskeeda’s Take
Inter Milan can flex their financial muscles thanks to the backing of Chinese conglomerate Suning, and bringing Marco Verratti back to Italy will not just be a signing that improves the Nerazzurri, but also announces to the rest of the world that Inter Milan are back.
Needless to say, it will be a tough ask to divert Verratti’s eyes away from the charms of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea, but a return home could prove to be Inter’s best bargaining chip. If the deal does go through, Inter will have definitely paid through the nose, but are possibly signing the best defensive midfielder in the world at the age of 24.
Juventus could prove to be a spanner in the works, but Inter could gazump them by offering Verratti a better financial package.
