Allegri thinks Barcelona will fail to sign PSG star Verratti

Marco Verratti

Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri does not think Barcelona will succeed in their attempts to sign Marco Verratti from Paris Saint-Germain.

Italy international Verratti, who has previously been linked with a switch to Juve, has reportedly told PSG of his desire to leave the club this close-season, with Barca tipped to make a €100million bid.

Reports in Catalonia suggest Barca director Javier Bordas met the 24-year-old and his agent Donato Di Campli while on holiday in Ibiza.

But Juve boss Allegri thinks Verratti - whose apparent dinner with Barca star Lionel Messi at the island's Restaurant Lio has been denied by sources close to the Argentina international - will ultimately remain at PSG.

"He is a great player," Allegri said to Corriere dello Sport. "He is a PSG player, though, and I think he will stay in Paris."

Di Campli said last week that Allegri's men could be an option for Verratti, who joined PSG from Pescara in 2012 and has gone on to win four Ligue 1 titles in his first five seasons, although Champions League success has eluded him.

But the representative has since suggested the finances involved in any move could mean it is beyond Serie A sides like Juve and AC Milan.

Allegri added that there is still no finalised deal to bring in Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who spent the last two seasons on loan at Serie A runners-up Roma.

"It is not done!" said the Juve boss. "When I am back, Juve will have signed players to improve the team. 

"Juve are at such a high level now that there aren't many champions on that level.

"To move forward we have to find those players who will complete us in the areas where we are weakest."