"You're the prototype of the player I hate" - Luis Enrique reportedly made scathing claim on ex-PSG star before his departure
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) boss Luis Enrique reportedly lashed out at Marco Verratti over his lifestyle before the Italian departed the Parc des Princes.
Le Parisien claims while Enrique was an admirer of the veteran midfielder's talent on the pitch he was less than impressed with his lifestyle. The Spanish coach is claimed to have told the 30-year-old:
"You are the prototype of the player I hate."
Verratti was exiled from the PSG first team shortly after he succeeded Christophe Galtier. The Italy international was deemed surplus to requirements and headed to Qatari side Al-Arabi for €45 million in September.
The nine-time Ligue 1 champion spent 11 years at the Parc des Princes and became a fan favorite during that time. He made 416 appearances across competitions, scoring 11 goals and providing 61 assists.
Verratti reportedly felt he was being forced to leave the Parisians this past summer. He was hesitant about joining Al-Arabi but eventually agreed on the move, signing a two-year contract with the Qatari outfit.
Enrique remained tight-lipped over Verratti's future amid speculation he was looking to offload the Italian. He said:
“I don’t make the private conversations public. The advice that I was able to give him remains private, nothing more to say about that."
Verratti joined PSG from Italian outfit Pescara in 2012 for €12 million. He was given an emotional send-off ahead of the Parisians' 3-2 defeat to OGC Nice at the Parc des Princes on September 15.
Achraf Hakimi has reportedly informed he's refound his love for football under the PSG boss
According to the aforementioned source, Achraf Hakimi has repeatedly told Enrique in private conversations that he's given him immense pleasure in playing again.
Hakimi has made an excellent start to the 2023-24 campaign, bagging three goals and one assist in eight games across competitions. The Moroccan right-back has been a standout performer for Enrique.
The 24-year-old was linked with a return to Real Madrid during the summer. His agent Alejandro Camano admitted they would listen if the La Liga giants came knocking for his signature (via AS):
“If Real Madrid want to sign him, we will listen. If you ask him you will see that he is a Real Madrid fan, but our project now is that of PSG."
However, it appears that Enrique's appointment has had a positive impact on Hakimi who's been at PSG since 2021. The Morocco international has benefitted from the Spanish tactician's attacking philosophy.