Manchester United didn’t address their midfield issue in the summer transfer window but Ruben Amorim could look to a ‘semi-retired’ star to strengthen the engine room
Manchester United could move to sign Marco Verratti, who is in 'semi-retirement'
Manchester United could look to a ‘semi-retired’ star to transform their midfield.
United ended the summer transfer window without signing a new midfielder as the club instead invested heavily in a new front line of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko before snapping up Senne Lammens on deadline day.
The decision to replace Andre Onana with Lammens proved to be the club’s final piece of business in the summer, and so far the Belgian looks a shrewd signing for just over £18million.
But it meant that United had no room left to sign a midfielder, having already been put off Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba after learning his £100m price tag.
According to Fichajes, United were ‘closely monitoring’ former PSG and Italy midfielder Marco Verratti following the deadline with a view to signing the star, who turned 33 on Wednesday (November 5).
Verratti is currently in ‘semi-retirement’ at Qatar side Al Duhail. The Euro 2020 winner left PSG at just 30 to join Qatar side Al-Arabi, leaving behind European football for the Middle East, potentially taking the decision to spend more time with his family and wife Jessica Aidi.
The diminutive midfielder signed a £24m-a-year contract to move to the Qatar Stars League side, saying he wanted a new challenge.
"I wanted to have a new experience. I didn’t want to go to another club in Europe where I could have played against PSG,” he said.
Verratti is married to stunning model Jessica Aidi
“I wanted this to be my last team. I had this offer from Doha. Certainly, the level isn’t the same, but I enjoy other elements: growing the championship and advising my teammates.”
Currently, United are in no position to play PSG after missing out on European football last year, which could potentially convince Verratti to help United in the short-term while also getting a taste of the Premier League with its most famous club.
Verratti married Jessica in 2021
But it remains to be scene whether his catwalk model wife Jessica would also be open to moving to Manchester. Jessica, 34, boast just over half a million followers on Instagram, where she posts her work as a model as well as a behind the scenes into her private life.
It’s said that the couple have been dating since Verratti split from his long-term partner Laura Zazzara in 2019. Despite her fame as a model, Jessica reportedly met the Italian when she was a waitress in a Parisian restaurant.
Her previous modelling work includes featuring during Paris Fashion Week as a catwalk model, as well as modelling swimwear for Sports Illustrated alongside other magazines.
