Verratti: 'I considered Barcelona'

By Football Italia staff

PSG midfielder Marco Verratti admits he “considered” an offer from Barcelona in 2016 and hit out at his hard-partying media image.

The Italy international was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer of 2016, but it never materialised.

“It’s true that something different was proposed and I think it was only normal for me to consider it for a little while,” Verratti told RMC Sport and L’Equipe.

He had grown frustrated with life at Paris Saint-Germain and had a tense rapport with the media, who he claims tried to depict him in a certain way.

“A football player doesn’t live his life any differently to others. I can go out like any other person. If I have a day off, then I go out, but there was a period when every time I left the house, I was recognised, so that was spun as ‘Marco Verratti goes out every night.’ That is not the case.”

Watch Serie A live in the UK on Premier Sports for just £9.99 per month including live LaLiga, Eredivisie, Scottish Cup Football and more. Visit: https://www.premiersports.com/subscribenow