Manchester United Transfer News: Marco Verratti Deal Linked to Paul Pogba Future

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti reportedly could be heading to Manchester United as the French side look to make room for Juventus’ highly sought-after star Paul Pogba.

That’s according to Francesc Aguilar of Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, who writes that PSG are willing to offload Verratti in order to have the capacity to welcome Pogba, via BBC Sport.

Both players have been linked to a number of clubs over the past few transfer windows, yet it’s Verratti’s surge from relative unknown to one of the best holding midfielders around that’s really caught the eye.

He maintains possession quite brilliantly, is a tenacious tackler and always seems to get his positioning right. Here's a reminder of what exactly the Italian brings to the table:

It’s no surprise that the 23-year-old has won some big-name admirers in recent times, including former Barcelona midfielder Xavi.

The Spaniard told French TV show Canal Football Club that Verratti would fit in perfectly if he were to head to the Camp Nou—via ESPN: “I really like Verratti. I like watching him play. I like his vision of the game, his passing game. He almost never loses the ball. He's a player of exceptional ability. He would adapt perfectly if he was playing at Barcelona."

He wouldn’t exactly adapt badly to life with Manchester United, either, although the Red Devils would do very well to secure his services.

Jacques Brinon/Associated Press

Mundo Deportivo also reported Paris Saint-Germain want to use Verratti as bait in their approach for Pogba by sending him back to his homeland—via ESPN.

It’s unknown whether PSG are willing to send cash and Verratti to Turin to try to lure Pogba to the French capital, but the Italian player’s agent, Donato Di Campli, claims that his client is worth just as much as his Juventus counterpart—per France Football (via John Downes of MailOnline): "I hear here and there that Pogba is worth €100 million. For me, Verratti is worth that. We've seen huge amounts spent on certain players abroad, and right now he's probably the best Italian player. Marco wants to stay, but the important thing is that his fair value is recognised."

It’s safe to say that if Mundo Deportivo’s reports are to be believed, United will have to part with a pretty penny to get Verratti in red.

They certainly have the funds to do so, and it’s not as if manager Louis van Gaal is afraid to splash the cash.

However, PSG won’t let Verratti go without Pogba’s arrival being concrete, while Juventus are likely to want an immediate replacement for their star man.

To be frank, it would be rather nice for the world if Juventus and PSG sort this saga out between them, as it’ll put an end to these tedious and torrential rumours.