In a surprising turn of events, Saudi Arabian 1st division side Al-Hilal has dispatched a delegation to Paris in an attempt to lure 30-year-old Italian international central midfielder Marco Verratti away from PSG.
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The delegation, representing Al-Hilal, arrived in the French capital on Tuesday, seeking to convince Verratti to make a switch to the Middle Eastern club. Notably, they are not affiliated with the Saudi government, as they represent the club directly. However, it is worth mentioning that the Saudi government has been involved in negotiating player transactions for other Saudi teams.
Verratti is currently under contract with PSG until June 2026. While he remains committed to his current club, he has expressed openness to considering a departure this summer. His agent, Rafaela Pimenta, hinted that the player would reflect on his options during his holidays.
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This is not the first time Al-Hilal representatives have visited Paris in recent weeks. They were previously present to hold talks with Belgian international center-forward Romelu Lukaku. However, despite their interest, no formal offer has been made to Verratti at this point.
Al-Hilal has taken significant steps to close the potential transaction, sending key individuals to the French capital and mandating trusted confidants to facilitate the process. While Verratti has privately considered the idea of an exit, he has shared these thoughts primarily with his teammates. One notable conversation took place during a recent dinner in Cannes with Kylian Mbappé. Verratti expressed that leaving the club this summer might be challenging due to PSG’s demanding stance in allowing the Italian midfielder to depart.
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Simultaneously, Al-Hilal is actively searching the French market for a new head coach. The club recently parted ways with Argentinian manager Ramón Diaz, signaling their intention to strengthen their coaching staff as well.
