The PSG midfielder is a pass-proficient, tough-tackling “genius”…
Liverpool have recently been credited with an interest in Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti, likely a result of Fabinho’s prospective transfer away from Anfield.
Who are Liverpool going to sign?
When Liverpool concluded the 22/23 Premier League campaign, confined to a fifth-placed finish after seven successive years within the top four, it was clear that changes were needed.
James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all concluded their contracts, and Alexis Mac Allister and Dominick Szoboszlai have been brought in to replace the departees.
With captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho now both headed for the door, manager Jurgen Klopp appears set to pocket a ballpark £52m from the outgoings, and rumours that Verratti could be joining the Liverpool fold might just bear fruit.
According to Spanish outlet Marca, PSG are willing to part with the Italy international for a fee of €70m (£61m) amid interest from Liverpool, and while this might seem steep, the money recuperated through the forthcoming sales of Fabinho and Henderson seemingly pave the way for another lucrative signing.
How good is Marco Verratti?
For Liverpool fans who are familiar with Verratti’s game, ‘Thiago-esque, ‘ball-playing’, and ‘maestro’ might be words that spring to mind, but the actuality is that here is a distinguished and multi-faceted midfielder capable of melding his passing proficiency with a gritty approach to his defensive trade.
This is evidenced through his defensive metrics over the past year, with FBref ranking the Euro 2020 champion among the top 5% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for tackles and the top 9% for blocks per 90, underscoring his aptitude as an anchoring force.
The £240k-per-week star played 19 of his 38 matches from the defensive midfield role last season, with Parisian teammate Danilo Pereira waxing lyrical over the 30-year-old.
He said, “Marco is incredible! Incredible! The things he can do both with and without the ball. I’ve never seen a midfielder like him. He can do attacking and defensive things with such ease that anyone watching would think it was easy, but it’s really not.”
Fabinho has been phenomenal for Liverpool since signing from Monaco for £44m in 2018, but has been criticised for his recent performances, with Jamie Carragher saying “Liverpool were awful, what is going on with Fabinho?” after one of the many subpar showings last season.
As per Sofascore, the Brazilian star made 1.8 tackles per game in the English top-flight, succeeding with just 48% of his ground duels and completing 89% of his passes. Verratti, comparatively, made 2.6 tackles per match and succeeded with 54% of his ground duels, also completing 93% of his passes. It’s clear, therefore, just who would be the better option at this moment in time.
Once praised as a “genius” by Neymar, Verratti could indeed be a fine addition to the Anfield ranks, bolstering the defensive midfield and providing a passing prowess to combine.
And with the prodigious Romeo Lavia subject to intense speculation surrounding his future with relegated Southampton – with Liverpool at the forefront of the rumours there as well – he could serve as the perfect understudy to Verratti and assimilate the knowledge passed down, all the while growing into his skin and starring when called upon.
