"PSG was not great at the time" - Marco Verratti was advised to join Barcelona by his ex-agent
PSG midfielder Marco Verratti almost became a Barcelona player in 2017. The Italian midfielder's former agent explained how Neymar's signing stopped Verratti from leaving Paris.
Verratti joined PSG in 2012 and has been a vital player for the French champions ever since. The Italian has been at the heart of PSG's midfield, winning seven Ligue 1 titles during his time in Paris.
Verratti's former agent Donato Di Campli spoke to French outlet L'Equipe, detailing the events that took place before the Neymar signing. The Italian's agent explained Verratti was on the verge of leaving PSG for Barcelona. He extended his stay in Paris when the French outfit offered a world-record fee to sign the Barcelona superstar, Neymar. Di Campli told L'Equipe:
"When Barça contacts me, I ask Marco what we’re doing. PSG was not great at the time, I said to Marco: ‘Are we going or are we staying?’ He said ‘OK, let’s try another experiment. PSG asked him to say he was really happy in Paris in a video. Marco really wanted to go to Barcelona. They were offering a lot of money, but it wasn’t even that. Playing with Messi, becoming champion, which is a different thing to be a great player."
He continued,
"PSG are one of the biggest clubs in the world, but they play in a weak championship. I told Marco that if he wanted to become a champion, he had to change tune. It’s not against PSG, but it is easier to do it at Bayern, Barça or Real. I was an employee of Marco, I advised him what seemed to be the best. But the choice was his. When he realized that it was not possible, he was afraid. He was afraid that he would be blocked without playing. He returned to Paris for the recovery, they told him: ‘We are going to take Neymar, we are going to extend you, but you throw your agent.'"
Verratti saw Neymar as the player that would take PSG to the next level. Winning the UEFA Champions League is a priority for the Parisian club and the Italian midfield general. The French champions were runners-up of the competition last season and are one of the favorites to go all the way in this campaign.
Verratti and Mbappe lead PSG to victory against Barcelona
Marco Verratti's choice to stay with PSG seems to be the right one, as the French outfit have asserted their dominance in the Champions League this season.
PSG dominated in their 4-1 win in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie against Barcelona last week. Mauricio Pochettino's men look unstoppable at the moment, and it would take a Barcelona miracle in the second leg to qualify for the quarter-finals.