da bet7： Manchester United have joined the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti this summer, according to Italian journalist Alfredo Peduella.
What’s the story?
da realsbet： Barcelona have been strongly linked with a move for Verratti this summer, with the Spanish giants believed to have made the Italian their leading transfer target.
However, according to Peduella, Man United are in a strong position for Verratti as the 24-year-old prepares to ditch his current agent Donato di Campli for Mino Raiola, who has taken the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Romelu Lukaku to Old Trafford over the last 12 months.
Verratti’s unhappiness with Di Campli is believed to have stemmed from comments made by his current agent earlier this summer, which suggested that the midfielder was desperate to leave Paris in this transfer window.
Verratti has since apologised for the comments made by his agent, and according to Peduella, the midfielder is in talks with Raiola, who has a strong relationship with Man United, in particular their head coach Jose Mourinho.
Could a deal be struck?
Man United have brought Lukaku and Victor Lindelof to Old Trafford this summer, but it is no secret that Mourinho still wants a central midfielder to support Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera in the middle of the park.
It is believed that PSG value Verratti in the region of £85m, which is a figure that Man United would be prepared to pay for one of the finest midfielders in the world.
Reports have claimed that Man United scout Jose Mayorga has already spoken to PSG about the transfer of the Italian international, and the Red Devils will watch developments over the next few days before considering making a move.
Verratti joined PSG from Pescara in the summer of 2012, and the 21-time Italian international has made over 200 appearances for the French giants, winning an impressive 15 domestic trophies in the process.
Barcelona will certainly have something to say about the interest from Old Trafford, but a change in agent would seemingly place Man United at the head of the queue.