Man United in shock swoop for £250,000-a-week Italy star to solve midfield crisis
Manchester United are reportedly making moves to acquire Marco Verratti from Paris Saint-Germain to reinforce their midfield options.
According to information from L’Equipe (as reported by PSGTalk), Manchester United have recently taken steps to show their interest in the talented Italian midfielder.
In the mix for Verratti’s services is also Bayern Munich, although as it stands, Verratti seems destined to depart European football altogether.
The compact midfielder has already reached a personal agreement with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli. However, an agreement between Al-Ahli and PSG has not been finalized.
This situation opens the door for both Bayern and Manchester United to consider pursuing Verratti. While neither club is likely to offer the same financial incentives, the prospect of remaining in European football could hold appeal.
At the age of 30, Verratti still possesses considerable value at the highest level of the sport and boasts substantial experience as an accomplished player.
His exceptional passing range and impressive ability to withstand pressure make him stand out. Additionally, he’s unafraid to engage in defensive aspects of the game.
Manchester United would greatly benefit from having a natural deep-lying playmaker in their squad. Currently, Christian Eriksen is the sole midfielder in their ranks comfortable with generating plays from deep positions.
However, there are notable concerns that come with Verratti. His track record of injuries is less than encouraging, for instance.
In the previous season alone, he was sidelined for a total of 42 days due to various injuries, according to data from Transfermarkt. Throughout his time at Paris Saint-Germain, he has never managed to complete a season with more than thirty league starts.
This sort of injury history doesn’t bode well for a player who is now in his thirties. Given the considerable cost associated with acquiring him – PSG reportedly seeks over £25 million in addition to his reported weekly wage of £252,000 – it might be more prudent for Erik ten Hag to explore other options.
It’s plausible that this rumor might be driven by PSG itself, aiming to pressure Al-Ahli to increase their offer.