What’s the story?
Barcelona’s forward Neymar has encouraged the La Liga giants to sign Paris St-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti, noting that the Italian would be ‘welcome’ at the Nou Camp. Speaking at a charity event in Brazil, Neymar told Sport, “Of course I would like him to come to Barcelona, I would love to [see him join]. He is a great player, he is a player with an incredible technical quality. He has the profile and the right skills to play with us at Barça."
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Previously
Marco Verratti has been the subject of a long-running transfer saga, with Barcelona making no secret of their desire to sign the Italian midfielder. Barca legend Xavi also previously named him as his successor, hoping that the Catalans could push through a signing. Verratti himself has expressed his admiration for Neymar, saying “Who would I pick to join PSG? Neymar. He's a young player. He was impressive in both games against Barca. This year, he has taken on a formidable dimension. He is at the level of [Lionel] Messi. He is my age and will be a great player for the future.”
The heart of the matter
According to the report, Marco Verratti has already told PSG that he wants to leave the club, a situation that was confirmed by former director Patrick Kluivert in a television interview. However, PSG CEO Nasser El-Khelaifi has told the Italian that he will not be sold unless Barcelona pay a high amount.
While being interviewed by Sport, Neymar encouraged Barca to pony up, saying “If the signing of Verratti goes through, I am convinced that the whole team will receive him with great joy because he is an impressive player.”
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Author’s Take:
Now that Neymar has expressed his desire to see Verratti in a Blaugrana shirt publicly, it could complicate matters for Barcelona in the negotiations. Their interest is already well known, but if future teammates have already considered the idea of playing with the Italian, it strengthens PSG’s position as any reluctance they exhibit will drive up Verratti’s asking price. The Italian would be a perfect fit in Barcelona’s midfield – and could potentially provide balance to the manner in which Ernesto Valverde wants his side to line up.
