Barcelona offered 31-year-old former target in Saudi Arabia solve midfield issues

Barcelona have long pined for Marco Verratti in their midfield, and this summer he may well be available for a move to Catalonia. Like ships in the night, it appears they will miss each other though.

The 31-year-old left Paris Saint-Germain last summer for a bumper contract in Saudi Arabia at Al-Arabi. As per MD, Verratti is open to leaving the league just a year down the line, and would be keen on a return to Europe. He has been offered to Barcelona, who appear to be searching for someone to help them to control games in midfield.

However Barcelona are not looking to get involved with Verratti as things stand. Whether Al-Arabi would be willing to let him go or not, the fact he would have to take an enormous pay cut, and there are also doubts about his level after a year in the Middle East.

Barcelona’s focus appears to elsewhere, and while Verratti’s quality is beyond doubt, certainly the fact PSG were so keen to get rid of him is not a good sign. Equally, Verratti is not exactly the kind of player most managers would pick to screen the defence, even if he is a good ball-winner and excellent at bringing the ball out, at least not without a much more physically imposing option alongside him.