Marco Verratti in Saudi Arabia? We are still far from it, as presented by L’Équipe this Sunday. Al-Hilal had offered €30m for the 30-year-old Italian midfielder, which Paris Saint-Germain refused. Al-Ahli is reportedly on the lookout but has yet to offer anything. PSG opened the door to the departure of their player … without pushing him out either. What does Verratti think? The second most capped Parisian in history (416 matches) will not hang on to stay, he whose contract runs until 2026.
But he would like to stay in a “competitive championship”. Suffice to say that only the financial aspect could make him fall for the Middle East. His new coach at PSG, Luis Enrique, would like to see him stay. The Spaniard believes in Verratti despite a more difficult last season. But he expects him to return to a healthy weight, after a meager playing time in pre-season.
SEE ALSO – The best of Marco Verratti at PSG
The question is no longer if Ousmane Dembélé will be Parisian, but when will he be Parisian. According to RMC Sport, the capital club wants him to pass his medical examination on Monday. The 26-year-old world champion could thus train with his new team on Monday afternoon. PSG must complete some paperwork details with FC Barcelona, who will lose their winger for a check for €50 million. Paris will start its Ligue 1 season on Saturday (9 p.m.) at home against Lorient.
It is a prestigious name which should rally Ligue 1 and Brittany. Ouest-France informs that Stade Rennais is “getting closer” to an agreement for the transfer of Nemanja Matic. Passed by Chelsea and Manchester United, the Serbian midfielder was a regular starter for his first season at AS Roma, where he has one year left on his contract. At 35, he could accept a slight drop in salary, he who receives 4 M € / year, to sign in Rennes, qualified for the Europa League.
Ex-English international Ainsley Maitland-Niles was released by Arsenal, his training club, where he played 132 matches. According to the British press and confirmed by L’Équipe, the versatile defender / midfielder will bounce back in Lyon. He would have accepted a four-season lease on the banks of the Rhône. Maitland-Niles, 25, comes out of a season on loan at Southampton (26 matches, 16 starts). He will be the very first Englishman to play for OL.
It is not less than 8 M€ (plus 2 M€ of possible bonuses) that the Stade de Reims pockets by selling Dion Lopy to Almeria. The Senegalese defensive and international midfielder (21) signed up until 2029 with the Spanish club, kept in extremis in La Liga two months ago. Arrived in 2020 in Reims, he played 31 matches, including 18 as a starter last season.
