This summer is set for a transfer battle between Juventus and Barcelona over Marco Verratti as both European giants looks to bolster their creative midfield ranks.
Although Barcelona and Juventus are leading the race, according to the report in Corriere dello Sport, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan are also interested the Paris Saint-Germain star.
Verratti would represent a significant capture for both clubs. With Barcelona seeking a long-term replacement for Andreas Iniesta and Juve director Giuseppe Marotta quoted as saying the Italian dynamo could be the Old Lady’s ‘Gonzalo Higuain of the midfield’.
After moving to the club as a teenager, Verratti has grown disillusioned with the French media after continued heavy criticism, especially in the wake of the team’s recent Champions League collapse against Barcelona.
L’Equipe, famous for their brutal player ratings, awarded Verratti a three-out-of-ten for his performance, which was more than seven of his team-mates received. However, as a star of the team, the Italian was the target of further castigation.
PSG president Nasser Al Khalaifi still believes the team should be built around Verratti and would be reluctant to let him leave the French capital this summer. As a result, it could take as much as €70million (£61m) to prise him away.
The report in Italy also comes in spite of Verratti’s agent Donato Di Campli denying his client was looking for an exit from Parc des Princes.
Di Campli told Nansa on Monday: ‘Marco Verratti will continue at PSG. He has a contract until 2021. He will stay in France. There is no doubt because he is a respectful person with contracts.
‘Afterwards, if PSG ask us to leave, we will leave. It’s [too] soon to speak about a return to Italy.’
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