Transfer Centre

Josep Maria Bartomeu: 'Paris Saint-Germain unwilling to sell Marco Verratti'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 07 July 2017

Marco Verratti wants to join Barcelona but Paris Saint-Germain are refusing to sanction a transfer, according to Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has confirmed that the club have an interest in signing Marco Verratti, but Paris Saint-Germain are reluctant to sell the midfielder.

The Italy international has been heavily linked with Barca all summer and recently revealed that he would like to take up the option of leaving the Parc des Princes.

Reports in the Italian media last month suggested that the Catalan giants were prepared to pay around £88m to sign Verratti, who remains under contract with PSG until 2021.

Bartomeu says that new boss Ernesto Valverde wants the player and Verratti is himself keen to make the switch, but the Parisians are refusing to budge and will not sell one of their key men.

"Verratti is a player we like," he told Diario Sport. "[Sporting director] Robert [Fernandez] wants him to come, as do [first-team coach Ernesto] Valverde and [general manager Pep] Segura. And we know that the player wants to come to Barca.

"The problem is that PSG have now told us they do not want to negotiate. The fact there is no release clause is a problem because you cannot go there and sign a player.

"For that reason, if the club do not want to sell, as is the case here, [what can you do]: 'We do not want to sell, we do not want to sit down with you, we will talk about whatever you want, but not about Verratti.'"

Verratti recently issued an ultimatum to PSG, telling his club to spend big and bring in star quality or risk losing him further down the line.