Marco Verratti is rumoured to be unhappy at PSG currently and could be set for a move away from France this summer. If he is available, then many top clubs will be very interested in the Italian.
He is still under contract with the French giants and will be until 2021, but if the offer is good enough, PSG may be persuaded to sell the Italian this summer, even though they would ideally like to keep him.
Also read: What does the future hold for Marco Verratti?
If he is to move on in the summer, one of these five clubs could be his next destination.
#1 Barcelona
With Denis Suarez, Sergi Roberto and Andre Gomes all failing to nail down a position in centre midfield, Verratti could possibly move to Barcelona this summer. Although Barcelona have Busquets and Ivan Rakitic, they would still like more quality in midfield with one of their current midfielders likely to be offloaded if a new manager takes charge of the club.
Furthermore, with Andres Iniesta at 32 years of age, Barcelona need to find a midfielder capable of filling the void in midfield, allowing Verratti to slot in perfectly. There is no doubt the Italian has the ability to operate within Barcelona’s midfield as he has shown in his performances for PSG.
At 24 years of age, he is heading into his prime and the Catalans would most probably be his ideal destination if he is to move this summer. If Barcelona do decide to offload any of their current midfielders and with them already rumoured to be interested in Verratti, it would be no surprise if the youngster does move to Catalonia in the next transfer window.
#2 Manchester City
There are very few players in world football who would turn down the opportunity to play under Pep Guardiola and it’s unlikely Verratti would be one of those players.
Manchester City have struggled to build a midfield partnership this season with Yaya Toure in and out of the team and Pablo Zabaleta even featuring in centre midfield on a couple of occasions. This means they will certainly be on the lookout for a central midfielder this summer.
Verratti is one of the best young centre midfielders in the world, and it’s likely Guardiola would be interested in signing the Italian. If Verratti was to consider making a move to the Premier League, Manchester City are one of the most exciting sides in the league. Guardiola would allow him a lot of freedom and this could convince him to make the switch.
Although City have struggled this season, Guardiola, with some new signings, could potentially win the Premier League next season. This, along with the Spaniard’s fantastic record in Europe, could see the Italian move to Manchester City in the summer transfer window.
#3 Manchester United
Another English club who will also be interested in Verratti this summer will be Manchester United.
Jose Mourinho already purchased Paul Pogba last summer, and to continue his transformation of the United side, he could go in for the Italian this summer. He is likely to cost a lot of money with his contract not ending till 2021, but this will not put Mourinho off with the amount of money available at United.
It’s clear United have the money available to purchase someone like Verratti, it all depends on if he is willing to make the move to a team who have struggled to make any challenge for a Premier League title in recent years. It could, therefore, depend on whether the 24-year-old is interested in instant success, or money.
With United’s poor quality in midfield and Michael Carrick ageing, Mourinho will certainly be interested in the Italian. His fantastic record could convince Verratti to move to the red side of Manchester, and it could see United challenge for the title next season.
#4 Real Madrid
Real Madrid have been rumoured to be interested in the Italian, and similarly to Barcelona, there is no doubt he has the quality to operate within their midfield.
Verratti is extremely talented and can play as a defensive midfielder or as more of a box to box midfielder; versatility Real Madrid would certainly appreciate with most of their midfielders only being able to play in one position.
Although Madrid already have a lot of talent in midfield, they need depth, and Verratti perfectly fits the bill to play for their side.
Real Madrid, with Zinedine Zidane in charge, have the power to convince almost anyone to join the club and they could potentially convince the 24-year-old next season.
#5 Chelsea
Chelsea could be the most likely destination for the Italian this summer, as Verratti could be interested in playing under his previous Italian boss Antonio Conte.
Chelsea currently have two midfielders who often play in their 3-4-3 formation, N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic, with both being defensive midfielders. Verratti, being a much better passer of the ball than both Kante and Matic, could easily slot into Chelsea’s midfield.
Furthermore, with a lack of depth in midfield, Chelsea will see a midfielder as a necessity this summer. Who better to buy than a young talented midfielder, who is one of the most wanted players in Europe?
It looks like they are going to win the Premier League title this season, and as mentioned, they have Conte as their manager, who has previously managed Verratti. If the 24-year-old was to consider moving to the Premier League, Chelsea could certainly persuade the Italian.
