Barcelona are once again interested in Marco Verratti, according to Spanish media.
The Blaugrana have held an interest in the Italian midfielder for years, but a move never materialised. Verratti preferred staying with PSG where he eventually went on to become a legend.
Last summer, however, the 31-year-old was finally offloaded and headed to Qatar in a controversial deal, signing for Al-Arabi. Given PSG’s extensive links to the Qatari state, the French giants were essentially accused of using their connections to get a very favourable deal to help them balance the books.
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Al-Arabi paid a whopping €45 million for Verratti at a time when his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) was sitting at just below €30m. A year on from his move, it is being claimed that he could make a sensational return to Europe.
Barcelona again keen?
Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona are yet again interested in Verratti, who has notched a solid seven assists in 17 games in Qatar. The Blaugrana are looking for midfield reinforcements and the veteran Italian has once again emerged as a potential option.
The report does, however, acknowledge that the ex-PSG man is not a top target for several obvious reasons. For one, Verratti’s wages are a major concern to cash-strapped Barcelona. The player is also still under contract until next year, which means that a transfer fee would have to be paid.
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Additionally, there are question marks over Verratti’s ability after a season of playing at a lower level. A deal, it must be said, appears incredibly unlikely, but crazier things have happened at Barcelona in recent years.
A free-transfer move for Guido Rodriguez from Real Betis appears much more realistic. Indeed, according to journalist Rudy Galetti, Barcelona are closing in on securing his signature.