Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol has shared what he knows regarding Liverpool’s reported interest in Marco Verratti.
The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder has been linked with a potential move to Anfield (L’Équipe) as the Reds seek to strengthen in that area of the pitch amid the prospective exits of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.
The Italy international is understood to have had an offer from Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, although the 30-year-old hasn’t indicated any desire to join the Middle Eastern bandwagon.
Speaking on Sky Sports on Wednesday, Solhekol outlined that Verratti ‘may be leaving Paris this summer’ and that PSG could be willing to entertain offers of around £70m for the man who was dubbed a ‘top player‘ by his teammate Achraf Hakimi earlier this year.
The reporter added: “We’ve also been told that two Premier League clubs are interested in signing him. The names we were told were Liverpool and Chelsea.
“We haven’t been able to confirm that. It could just be a case of he’s a player who’s been offered to Liverpool and Chelsea by intermediaries, by agents, by representatives who are trying to make some money from the deal and they know that Chelsea and Liverpool are potentially looking for midfielders this summer.”
Although Verratti would bring huge experience to the Reds’ midfield – and plenty of trophy-winning pedigree – from his 11 years with PSG, it seems incredibly unlikely that LFC will spend £70m on a 30-year-old with a horrendous injury record (Transfermarkt).
As Solhekol has suggested, there could be nothing more in it right now than the Italian being offered to Anfield, and we expect that Jurgen Klopp will look at younger and more affordable alternatives to strengthen his squad in the middle of the park.
You can see the clip of Solhekol’s comments on Sky Sports below, via @footballdaily on Twitter:
🚨 Marco Verratti could be leaving PSG. However, the club to not want to sell.
Their evaluation for the midfielder is £70m, as Atletico Madrid eye a move for the midfielder.
[@SkyKaveh] pic.twitter.com/yNqkx55MD5
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) July 19, 2023
£70m for a 30 year old? No chance of that happening- and nor should it.