Real Madrid Transfer News: Marco Verratti Eyed Amid Latest Toni Kroos Rumours
Real Madrid are reportedly planning to move for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti should Toni Kroos leave the Bernabeu for Manchester City.
Citing reports in Spain, TuttoMercatoWeb's Ivan Cardia indicated that Real are preparing a "massive bid" for the 23-year-old Italian, with PSG eager to keep him at the Parc des Princes.
Kroos has previously been linked with a £60 million switch to City to join up with his former manager at Bayern Munich, Pep Guardiola, although the Sky Blues baulked at his £240,000-a-week wages, per Daniel Cutts in the Sun.
However, if Real are indeed eyeing Verratti they are clearly concerned they could lose Kroos this summer.
Los Blancos will surely do all they can to prevent the 26-year-old Germany international departing Madrid as he is undoubtedly one of the best central midfielders in the world, boasting immaculate passing range and an ability to beat defenders, per Opta and WhoScored.com:
There is a possibility that he could find himself at times ejected from Real's starting lineup next season if manager Zinedine Zidane opts for a 4-2-3-1 system, per Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe:
Guardiola was reportedly unhappy that Kroos was "sold from under him" at Bayern as he believed the 2014 World Cup winner "fit his ethos perfectly," and the midfielder would surely be guaranteed a key role—potentially as Yaya Toure's successor—should he move to City, per James Robson in the Manchester Evening News.His departure would leave Real short of a key man in midfield to partner Luka Modric, hence the interest in the talented Verratti.
Verratti has enormous potential, and PSG paid around £10 million for him back in 2012 when he was just 19, per Eurosport (via Yahoo Sport).
He has enjoyed success so far at PSG—most notably netting twice and providing eight assists in the 2014-15 Ligue 1 season, per WhoScored—but his most recent campaign was beset by injury, which also saw him miss out on representing Italy at Euro 2016.
However, big things are expected of him in the coming season, and PSG will not let him go easily, per L'Equipe (via French football writer Jonathan Johnson):
Real will have to offer big money to snap him up, but they are likely to be in a strong position financially should they sell Kroos to City and could surely table a very tempting bid.
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