Marco Verratti close to joining Al Hilal from PSG

Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal are closing in on the signing of Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Saudi Arabian side has offered the Italian midfielder a three-year contract and hopes to close negotiations with the Parisians soon.

Verratti looks set to leave the Ligue 1 champions after 11 years in France. He had joined them from boyhood club Pescara and has registered his name as one of the greatest midfielders in the club’s history.

Signed for only €12 million, the 30-year-old represents one of the best value-for-money signings the record Ligue 1 champions have made.

Verratti has made 416 appearances for PSG, bagging 11 goals and 16 assists and establishing himself as one of the finest central midfielders of his generation.

The diminutive midfielder helped Pescara win Serie B in 2012 before moving to France, where he won nine Ligue 1 titles, six Coupe de France, six Coupe de la Ligue, and nine Trophees des Champions.

Also, he helped them reach the UEFA Champions League final in 2020, which they lost to Bayern Munich.

Verratti carried on his success with the Italian national team, making 55 appearances for the Azzurri since his debut in 2012. He has bagged three goals and four assists. He helped them win the 2020 European Championship.

Despite suffering several niggling injuries, the midfielder leaves the club with his head held high after years of delivering world-class performances.

He is set to move to Al Hilal, where he will link up with Malcolm, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves, and Kalidou Koulibaly. Former Benfica manager Jorge Jesus is the manager of the side.

Following the additions from Europe, they will look to challenge Saudi Pro League champions Al Ittihad for the league title. Al Hilal will be looking to add to their record 18 titles.