Barcelona are reportedly still keen on signing Marco Verratti but Real Madrid and Chelsea have cooled off their interest in the PSG midfielder.
According to a report by Goal, Barcelona remain extremely keen on signing Marco Verratti in the summer, but Real Madrid and Chelsea are set to end their interest in the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder.
Verratti is one of the most exciting talents to have emerged out of Italy in recent years. Since signing with PSG in 2012, he has blossomed into one of the best central midfielders in the world. Having already played close to 200 games for Les Parisiens, Verratti continues to grow from strength to strength.
And while 2016/17 has seen PSG endure a topsy-turvy season, Verratti has continued to impress with his solid performances in the centre of the park. However, despite his stellar performances at the Parc des Princes, his long-term future with the French champions is under a cloud.
Needless to say, he is a player who will be a hot property in the summer, having become one of the most sought after players in Europe in recent years, with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea linked with him.
However, if the report by Goal is anything to go by, only Barcelona continue to retain an interest in the Italy international, while Real Madrid and Chelsea will look elsewhere for summer recruitment.
Barcelona are believed to be in the market to sign a long-term successor for veteran midfielder, Andres Iniesta, who is in the twilight years of his glittering career. At 24, Verratti still has his best years ahead of him, and can offer the best solution to the Catalan club, with his close control and superb range of passing.
Real Madrid have also been heavily linked with Verratti, but with Casemiro evolving into one of the most dependable midfielders in Europe, with the world class Toni Kroos and Luka Modric to give him company, Zinedine Zidane has thought against signing the PSG man.
Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is believed to be a huge admirer of Verratti’s talents, having previously managed him as the Italy boss. But, it is believed that they will have to offload Cesc Fabregas to justify paying the €80 million asking price by PSG, which the Blues are unwilling to do.
However, Barcelona are willing to shell off €80 million to acquire Verratti, with a central midfielder high on their agenda for the summer. PSG remain adamant that they will not let go of their prized asset, but it remains to be seen if Verratti forces their hand by pushing for a summer transfer to Camp Nou.
