Arsenal and Liverpool offered chance to sign player previously lauded by Lionel Messi - Reports
Arsenal and Liverpool have reportedly received the chance to sign former PSG midfielder Marco Verratti, who was once appreciated by the legendary Lionel Messi. Verratti joined Al-Arabi last summer in Qatar after more than a decade at the Parc des Princes.
Since arriving from Pescara in the summer of 2012,, the 31-year-old contributed 11 goals and 61 assists in 416 games across competitions. The last two campaigns came with Messi, with Verratti contributing two goals and three assists in 70 outings across comeptitions.
Following a year outside European football, the Italian is seemingly yearning for a return to the continent, with HITC (via Express) reporting interest from the Gunners, Reds, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City.
While he left on a reported £39 million move last year, he could be available for far less as the summer transfer window draws to a close. Meanwhile, Messi had said about Verratti while the duo were together with the Parisians:
“Marco Verratti has shown that he is a huge player. One of the best in the world in his position. He was wanted in Barcelona, but now it is the reverse and it is me coming to him in Paris.”
Messi moved to MLS side Inter Miami last summer, following two decades in Europe.
How has Lionel Messi fared against Arsenal and Liverpool?
Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi is widely regarded as one of the best players to have graced the beautiful game. In an illustrious career spanning nearly two decades, the Argentine has scored over 800 times for club and country.
That includes nine goals in six games against Arsenal and two in four outings against Liverpool - all in the UEFA Champions League and while he was at Barcelona between 2004 and 2021.
In 10 combined games against the two Premier League giants, Messi won four games against the Gunners and two against the Reds, losing only once. Notably, four of his nine goals against Mikel Arteta's side came in a single game - in a 4-1 home win in the 2009-10 Champions League kmockouts.
Lionel Messi didn't make a goal contribution only once against Arsenal, scoring in four games and making an assist in another. Against Liverpool, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner scored both goals in the same game: a 3-0 semi-final first leg win in the 2018-19 edition of the Champions League.
Incredibly, Barcelona would lose the second leg 4-0 against a much-changed Reds side away from home to bow out.