Verratti's transfer to Barca collapsed, the player sacked his agent

In an ongoing transfer war between Barcelona and PSG, and in the eve of their Champions League tie, an inside story about another player emerged. Between PSG's attempts to lure Lionel Messi in June, and the famous purchase of Neymar in 2017, another deal almost took place, but in opposite direction. Italian international Marco Verratti was in serious talks to move to Barcelona, but the move didn’t materialise at the end.

Verratti’s former agent Donato Di Campli, who was representing the Italian in 2017 told the inside story to L’ Equipe, which ended with Marco staying in PSG and Di Campli getting the sack. Since then, Veratti is represented by, you guessed it, Mino Raiola.

“It’s a long story. When Barca contacted me, I asked Marco what we’re doing. He told me to speak with them, that we would speak with PSG since an extension was in the pipeline. PSG weren’t great at the time, I said to Marco: ‘Would we go or stay? He said: ‘0K, let’s try another experience’.”

When the transfer didn’t materialize, Verratti distanced himself from this agent. Di Campli said that the PSG asked him to do it, and he ended up losing his client, after only looking out for his best interest.

“PSG asked him to do it. Marco wanted to go to Barcelona. He sent a message to Nasser to tell him, I kept it. They were offering a lot of money, but it wasn’t even that. Playing with Messi, becoming a champion, which is a different thing from being a great player…. PSG are one of the biggest clubs in the world, but they are playing in a weak championship. I told Marco that if he wanted to become a champion, he had to change his mind. Nothing against PSG, but it’s easier to do it at Bayern, Barca or Real. I was an employee of Marco and advised him what I thought was the best. But the choice was his.”

When asked why Verratti ended his association with him, Di Campli said:

“When they saw that it was not possible, he was afraid. He was afraid that he would be blocked without playing. When he returned to Paris, they told him: ‘We are going to take Neymar, we are going to extend you, but you throw out your agent. That’s it. I was pushing for the breakup, waging war to transfer him to Barcelona, ​​but he backed off. I left with a Kalashnikov and, in the end, I finished with a water pistol. For him, yes decision to stay worked out, for me, no. Marco is not the symbol of PSG. The star is Neymar or Mbappé. Not Marco. I called Marco who was with PSG in Miami at that time. He said: ‘I spoke with Mino.’ I understood. In the past, Nasser had already called me to tell me: ‘If you try to take Marco away, Marco will leave you’.”

Di Campli admitted that he and his former client are not in contact since that failed Barcelona move.

“Since 2017, no. The wound is still open. I have to thank him for giving me a lot of things, I hope I brought him things too. Between us, the relationship was special, I was there at complicated times. It’s like that. Raiola did nothing but profit from my job” said Di Campli.