The international break is ending, and Paris Saint-Germain faces an uphill battle as one of its leaders departs the club unceremoniously.
On this episode of PSG Talking, I’m joined by Ethan from PSG Fan Club Boise to react to the news that Marco Verratti has agreed to leave the club. We also discuss PSG’s spending spree this summer and look ahead to a difficult stretch of matches coming up for Les Parisiens.
Up first, it’s the news that Verratti will leave PSG after 11 years and join Al-Arabi SC of the Qatar Stars League for a reported fee of €45 million. We share our initial reaction, question why it’s taken so long, and whether PSG could have gotten a higher transfer fee for the talented midfielder.
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
There were reports that other top European clubs were interested in signing Verratti, including Bayern Munich, Chelsea FC, and FC Barcelona. Why didn’t the Italy international go to those clubs instead of Al Arabi?
Verratti’s departure likely concludes a hectic summer transfer window, which saw PSG have a higher net spend than Chelsea. We look ahead to the January transfer window and beyond and predict what kind of business PSG might do.
Lastly, we wrap up the show by discussing Marco Asensio’s injury and what it means for Luis Enrique’s squad selection. We also explain why PSG’s matches against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League and Olympique de Marseille in Ligue 1 are must-win games for PSG.
As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you download your podcasts. We’re also on Substack! Subscribe for free today to access premium PSG content.
