Marco Verratti Dismisses Talk of Summer Transfer from PSG to Barcelona

Paris Saint-Germain star Marco Verratti has moved to end any potential speculation regarding a summer move to Barcelona.

Verratti has been continuously linked with a move to the Camp Nou and reportedly came close to joining last summer, but he told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Calciomercato.com) he's got goals to achieve in Paris:

"I've read that [Mino] Raiola has offered me to Barcelona. It's not true. I've talked with my chiefs, they know what I think about PSG. I want to stay, I've decided to stay. I want to win something important with PSG, I've grown here as a man and as a footballer.

"There is an ambitious project here, I hope my team-mates have the same idea. You can't cancel everything because of a defeat. Neymar? You need great players if you want to achieve great wins. With Neymar it would be easier.”

The Italy international changed agents to Mino Raiola after leaving previous representative Donato Di Campli last summer, when it was alleged he was nearing a transfer to Catalonia.

Prior to the agent switch, Di Campli told Italian daily Corriere dello Sport (h/t Goal's Jamie Smith) his client was "trapped" at the Parc des Princes amid serious speculation of a move to Barca.

But Verratti stayed at PSG before apologising for the transfer drama that had unfolded, via the club's official Twitter account:

Verratti has a little more than three years left to run on his PSG contract and is one of the most valued stars in France's capital, giving the Ligue 1 titans little reason to consider cashing in unless he pursues an exit.

Even if that were the case, Goal's Ben Hayward noted PSG don't usually sell their star players:

"

Because PSG don't let their players leave. We have seen it with Verratti, Thiago Silva and others... and because Neymar was world's most expensive signing last summer. Meanwhile, Liverpool sold Suárez, Sterling and Coutinho when they wanted to leave...

— Ben Hayward (@bghayward) March 17, 2018"

Barcelona have to start thinking about the future of their midfield and target players who can one day fill the roles that, over the next few seasons, will be left vacant by Andres Iniesta, 33, Ivan Rakitic, 30, Sergio Busquets, 29, and Paulinho, 29.

Verratti was recently in PSG's bad books after his red card in the second leg of PSG's UEFA Champions League round-of-16 clash with Real Madrid, but manager Unai Emery remained loyal to the playmaker, via Goal:

Keeping the former Pescara man at the club will stand as an important message of intent for PSG; should they lose his services against their will, it would take away from the club's stature as a major force among Europe's elite.

Former Barcelona star Dani Alves moved to the Parc des Princes in the summer of 2017 and highlighted Verratti as one of the major lures in coming to PSG, per ESPN FC's Jonathan Johnson:

So far in his six-year tenure in France, Verratti has secured four Ligue 1 titles, three Coupe de France wins, four Coupe de la Ligue triumphs and five successive Trophees des Champions.

The Champions League is the trophy that continues to elude him and the French outfit, with Verratti seemingly opting to prioritise PSG success ahead of any Spanish ambitions he might have.