Italian superstar Marco Verratti is set to be the latest big name to leave Europe for the Middle East this summer after PSG struck a deal with Qatari outfit Al Arabi for the midfielder.
The experienced campaigner has a contract with the Parisian giants until 2026, however, several reports have indicated that Verratti was made surplus to requirements by the Ligue 1 champions and now a switch to Qatar beckons.
The 30-year-old has clocked over 400 appearances for PSG since his move to the French capital from Pescara in his homeland back in 2012. PSG paid just €12m to bring Verratti to France in what proved a savvy piece of business by the lavish spenders.
Verratti won the Ligue 1 title nine times during his silver-lined stint with Paris St. Germain, while he also enjoyed international success with Italy when the Azzurri won Euro 2020.
Full details of Marco Verratti’s transfer to Al Arabi
Marco Verratti’s impending move to Al Arabi in Qatar has understandably been generating plenty of buzz online and Twitter transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has been able to fill in some of the details around the high-prolife deal.
According to Romano, PSG will receive a fee of €40 for Verratti, who is expected to jet out to Doha for his medial inside the next 24 hours.
Other reports published elsewhere have indicated that Verratti will pen a three-year contract with Al Arabi worth approximately €30m per year. The breaks down to a mammoth €576, 923 per week for the schemer.
A number of Saudi Arabian clubs were also interested in signing Verratti this summer, though Al Arabi beat off competition to convince the playmaker to move to Qatar.
Marco Verratti to Al Arabi, here we go! Verbal agreement finally sealed with the Italian midfielder who’s set to sign on a permanent deal with Qatari club 🇶🇦🇮🇹 #AlArabi
Understand Verratti will travel to Doha in the next 24 hours.
PSG agreed on €45m fee 10 days ago, it’s done. pic.twitter.com/sUyKjqdhG0
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 10, 2023
Who will Verratti join in the Qatar Stars League?
While the Qatar Stars League isn’t sprinkled with the same amount of star dust as the Saudi Arabian Pro League after the latter’s insane summer splurge, there are still a number of household names currently plying their trade there.
Former Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho joined Al-Duhail from Aston Villa this summer and attacking midfielder is one of a clutch of Brazilians currently strutting their stuff in Qatar.
Ex-Palmeiras starlet Giovani joined Al-Sadd during the transfer window, while former Leeds striker and naturalised Spaniard Rodrigo is now on the books at Al-Rayyan.
Midfielder Thiago Mendes, formerly of Lyon and Lille, is also attached to Al-Rayyan, while former Wolfsburg defender Paolo Otavio is turning out for Al-Sadd.
Elsewhere, ex-Southampton and Celta Vigo winger Soufiane Boufal is performing his tricks on the flank with Al-Rayyan, while veteran French striker Andy Delorte is leading the line for Umm Salal following his move there from Nantes.
Battle-hardened Colombian anchorman Mateus Uribe, who spent several seasons with Porto, is also with Al-Sadd while former Bayern Munich stalwart and Spanish international regular Javi Martinez is seeing out his playing days with Qatar SC.
Marco Verratti however, is arguably the biggest name so far to seek out riches in Qatar and capture of the Italian by Al-Arabi represents a major coup of the entire Stars League.
