Al-Hilal have been told what it will take to sign Italian midfielder Marco Verratti from Paris Saint-Germain according to reports, as it seems talk of a deal being done are premature.
According to a report from Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla, the two sides are locked in talks for the former Pescara midfielder. PSG had originally demanded €80 million for the midfielder, but have since softened their stance for the 30-year-old midfielder.
Political tension had also reportedly led to the French giants demanding that inflated amount for the midfielder but it seems they would accept a fee similar to what the Saudi Arabian side shelled out for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
The fee that the Middle Eastern side paid for the Serbian was around £34 million according to Sky Italy and the French giants are reportedly looking for that amount as a minimum for the Italian midfielder, according to the same report from Pedulla.
The geopolitical tension between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which is well known, has made the deal that bit more difficult.
This has meant it was perhaps surprising that PSG, according to Sky Sports, accepted the offer made by the Saudi side for wantaway forward Kylian Mbappe.
Although, you’d do well to find a football club, despite political issues, turning down a quarter of a billion pounds for a footballer.
What would Verratti offer Al-Hilal?
After the Saudi Arabian side completed the signing of Milinkovic-Savic and Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves, it is perhaps surprising that they are after another midfielder, this time it’s Verratti.
It would certainly be a strange midfield three were Verratti to make the move to Al-Hilal. Maybe Neves would be the deepest of the midfield three with Verratti and Milinkovic-Savic as the two advanced eights in the team.
Crucially, according to Pedulla, despite PSG taking a hard stance on the midfielder, Verratti has accepted the three-year-contract offer on the table and he is confident he will be allowed to leave the Parisian club.