Barcelona know the price for Marco Verratti
No matter who becomes the next manager at Barcelona, it’s clear they need to add some youthful talent to the club’s midfield. PSG star Marco Verratti would fit perfectly into any manager’s system. Fortunately for the Catalan giants, they’ve been given a clear run at the world-class midfielder.
Prying Verratti away from PSG this summer isn’t going to be a cheap transaction, but it’s something Barcelona can clearly accomplish. Reports from Spain claim that PSG have alerted Barcelona officials that Verratti could be made available for a transfer fee of somewhere around £70 million.
That figure may jar you at first, but we’re talking about a world-class player in his prime. Those sorts of players don’t come available every summer. Once you really think about it, £70 million might even represent a bargain for someone of Verratti’s age and experience level.
After all, he just showed how well he could play in Champions League football against Barcelona. He clearly wasn’t awed by the occasion when he helped his club dismantle Luis Enrique’s squad. The tie isn’t over yet, but the French powers enter the second leg with a tremendous advantage over their Spanish competition.
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Of course the entire situation is complicated by Barcelona’s managerial uncertainty. It’s unlikely the La Liga club will make any significant transfer decision until a new boss is selected. It’s not as if Verratti is a limited player though. He has the ability and tactical flexibility to fit into almost any system. Very few managers in Europe wouldn’t be able to find a place for Verratti in their starting XI.
Even so, the news that Verratti will be available for a reasonable transfer fee is bound to attract attention from a number of other clubs. Manchester United, in particular are being strongly linked with a summer swoop. It’s easy to see how Verratti would fit into Jose Mourinho’s system at Old Trafford. Placing him in tandem with Paul Pogba in the midfield would almost be unfair to the rest of the Premier League.
Next: Barcelona linked with another ordinary right back
Barcelona would be wise to move for Verratti swiftly and decisively this summer. He’s exactly the shot of talent and energy their midfield desperately needs.