Potential replacements for Marco Verratti at PSG
PSG midfielder Marco Verratti has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia outfit Al Hilal this summer. The Saudi Pro League club have approached the Italian midfielder after the recent snub from Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe was reportedly subject to a world-record move to Al Hilal this summer. However, the World Cup winner refused to play in the Middle East. He even said he would rather stay on the bench for the entire season than play for Al Hilal or any other Saudia outfit.
As Verratti has verbally agreed on a three-year deal with Al Hilal, he has received immense criticism from PSG fans. He had signed a four-year agreement to stay in the French capital last year. As he will likely leave the Ligue 1 champions this summer, let’s see how PSG can replace Verratti.
Douglas Luiz
Douglas Luiz has been one of the standout players at Aston Villa over the last few years. Although Jack Grealish got all the praise, Luiz was the one who did all the hard work to keep the Villa midfield stable. As he is now an essential player for former PSG manager Unai Emery, he has been attracting interest from Arsenal.
Luiz is a senior member of the Brazilian side. At 25, he is destined to play at the top level for years. As Villa have signed Youri Tielemans as a free agent from Leicester City, it opens the door for PSG to sign Luiz this summer.
Bruno Guimarães
Bruno Guimarães is one of the biggest reasons why Newcastle United qualified for the Champions League for the first time in over two decades. The midfielder has been subject to a contract extension at St. James Park. Manager Eddie Howe has also discussed the importance of having Guimarães next season.
The importance of Guimarães is justified considering the Magpies couldn’t win a single Premier League game in his absence last season. The 25-year-old plays as a deep-lying midfielder, similar to the profile of Verratti at PSG. Although he isn’t as technically gifted as the Italian midfielder, he could elevate his career by moving to the Ligue 1 champions.
Manu Koné
Manu Koné’s name was linked to PSG at the beginning of this summer. Koné is yet to move away from Borussia Monchengladbach, and Liverpool’s early interest has also been eliminated as they have now prioritized Romeo Lavia of Southampton. The 22-year-old could be a valuable addition to PSG as he could be another new face of their midfield after the addition of Manuel Ugarte from Sporting Lisbon.
