This summer, there’s been plenty of Saudi Arabian clubs splashing the cash to improve their league. Al-Hilal has now set their eyes on Paris Saint-Germain’s Marco Verratti.
L’Equipe’s Loïc Tanzi reported on Tuesday that a delegation for Al-Hilal is in Paris to convince Verratti, under contract until 2026, to join their team. Furthermore, the Saudi Arabian side has also contacted PSG over a potential transfer.
PSG is adamant about their demands for the Italian’s possible departure. Nonetheless, the journalist adds that Verratti did discuss a potential exit with several teammates, including Kylian Mbappé, at a dinner in Cannes.
(🌕) BREAKING: Saudi delegation for Al-Hilal is in Paris to convince Marco Verratti, and they have also made contact with PSG. @Tanziloic 🚨🇮🇹
— PSGhub (@PSGhub) June 27, 2023
Al-Hilal’s management is eager to bolster their midfield, with Verratti being the next target. This strategic move follows Al-Hilal’s recent acquisition of Rúben Neves from Wolverhampton Wanderers, which has already sent shockwaves through the footballing world.
The signing of Neves and now interest in Verratti indicates Al-Hilal’s intent to use this wealth of funds to build a team that has a strong midfield presence. As a result, they view the 30-year-old as the ideal complement to the Portuguese midfielder.
While the Saudi Arabian side missed out on Messi, they might have two talented midfield maestros pulling the strings in the middle of the pitch, which is a good consolation prize.
Their combined abilities would provide the team with a formidable presence in the middle of the park, dictating the tempo of matches and orchestrating attacking moves.