Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United will reportedly have the opportunity to sign veteran Italian midfielder Marco Verratti from Al-Arabi this summer.
According to a report by Graeme Bailey on HITC, Marco Verratti wants to return to Europe after a season in the Middle East. Intermediaries have offered Premier League bigwigs like Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United the opportunity to sign the veteran Italian midfielder in the final days of the summer transfer window.
Marco Verratti and his journey so far
Marco Verratti is one of the most successful footballers in the 21st century. A native of Pescara, he spent his formative years in Italy but rose in prominence during his long stint with Paris Saint-Germain. In fact, he is the most decorated player in PSG’s history after spending over a decade at the Ligue 1 club.
However, Verratti’s long association with PSG ended when he joined Qatari club Al-Arabi SC in a deal worth £39 million last summer. The 31-year-old has managed only 1,935 minutes of game time across 22 appearances thus far for Al-Arabi. However, the veteran midfielder wants to return to Europe this summer, with intermediaries offering him to Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United.
Premier League adventure on the cards?
Arsenal can do with a player of Marco Verratti’s quality. Thomas Partey faces an uncertain future at Parc des Princes, while Jorginho is approaching the twilight of his illustrious career. So, it behoves Arsenal to invest in a midfielder, with Mikel Merino the top target for the North London club.
Meanwhile, Liverpool should pursue Marco Verratti after parting ways with Thiago Alcantara. While the former Spanish international endured an injury-riddled spell with the Merseyside club, he has left a vacant spot in the midfield department. So, the veteran Italian midfielder would be a viable target for Liverpool.
As for Manchester United, they should ideally stay clear of pursuing Verratti. While the 31-year-old will add undoubted quality to the midfield unit, the Red Devils do not have many younger midfielders in their first-team squad, unlike Arsenal and Liverpool.
Meanwhile, intermediaries have also offered Verratti to Manchester City, while Chelsea and Barcelona failed with moves for the experienced midfielder last summer. It will be interesting to see where the former PSG star lands if he returns to Europe this year.
