Italy international Marco Verratti is expected to fly out to Qatar tonight and undergo a medical tomorrow, completing his €45m move from Paris Saint-Germain to Al-Arabi.
The midfielder has not been part of coach Luis Enrique’s plans this season and was frozen out awaiting a transfer.
He was linked with Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League, but a deal could not be reached before the transfer deadline that suited PSG’s demands.
The Qatar Stars League is still running and Sky Sport Italia expert Fabrizio Romano claims an agreement has been struck with Al-Arabi.
It is worth circa €45m and the clubs have shaken hands on the move, so much that Verratti is expected to land in Doha late tonight.
He can then undergo a medical on Tuesday and sign the extremely lucrative contract.
Verratti turns 31 in November and had been at PSG since leaving Serie B side Pescara in the summer of 2021.
Paris Saint-Germain had only recently given him a new contract that runs to June 2026, signing it barely nine months ago.
Verratti was already left out of Luciano Spalletti’s Italy squad for the EURO 2024 qualifiers against North Macedonia and Ukraine, so it remains to be seen if he will still be considered for international duty after this switch to Qatar.
Waste of a career.