Marco Verratti is closing in on a deal to sign for Al Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain.
The Saudi Pro League have been enticing some of the biggest players in Europe with massive contracts and Verratti appears to be the latest to make the switch.
2
Al Hilal are closing in on the Italian, who is set to sign a three-year contract, reports Fabrizio Romano.
If Verratti does make the move, he will complete a quality midfield trio.
Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic have both already signed for Al Hilal from Wolves and Lazio respectively.
The addition of Verratti would finalise a midfield three that most European clubs would dream of having.
However, Al Hilal’s own dream of signing Kylian Mbappe appears to be dead in the water.
Despite a jaw-dropping deal worth in total just under £1billion, the 24-year-old has refused to speak to the Saudi club.
But a move for his teammate Verratti appears to be motoring along while the midfielder still has a contract at PSG until 2026.
The Italy international has spent the majority of his career at the Parc des Princes after joining from Pescara in 2012.
2
Since then, he has made 416 appearances for the Ligue 1 club, winning nine league titles in the process.
Barcelona had been interested in the 30-year-old for a time but their financial situation has ruled them out of any transfer.
Recently, Verratti’s former agent hit out at PSG after “blackmailing” him to stay at the club.
Donato Di Campli said: “In Paris the players are imprisoned, you never do what they want but the club; it’s a prison and there is blackmail.
“PSG’s attitude is always blackmail. We had decided to go to Barcelona.
“That, obviously, the emir did not like.
“Al Khelaifi even told me that if I kept trying to do the operation with Barca, Verratti was going to let me (go).
“And that’s how it ended up happening. I’m sure Marco was scared, he won’t admit it, but that’s how it is.”
