Verratti leaves PSG, joins Al Arabi in Qatar

Italian international Marco Verratti has signed for Qatari club Al Arabi, his new club and his former team, Paris Saint-Germain, announced on Wednesday.
Al Arabi posted a video on social media showing the midfielder in club colours.
Qatari-owned PSG released a statement thanking Verratti for his 11 years at the club.
Verratti “played a major role in our great history”, said club president Nasser al-Khelaifi.
“I was very proud to wear the colours of Paris St Germain for more than a decade, to rub shoulders with so many great players, and to win 30 trophies,” Verratti told the club website.
“Paris, the Club and its supporters will always have a very special place in my heart. I will be Parisian forever.”
Verratti, who has never played in Italy’s Serie A, joined PSG in 2012 from his hometown club Pescara. The Ligue 1 side paid €12mn ($12.87mn) for the then 19-year-old. Verratti, 30, has struggled with injuries.
He also has a spotty disciplinary record, collecting 141 yellow cards and six reds for PSG.
In 11 seasons at PSG, Verratti played in 416 matches, making him the club’s second highest appearance maker behind Jean-Marc Pilorget (435).
Bans and injuries limited him to 29 Ligue 1 appearances last season, but that total was the most since he played 32 games in 2014-15.
New coach Luis Enrique had not selected Verratti this season.
PSG received no concrete offers from any of Europe’s big clubs for Verratti, perhaps put off by his salary. French media reported that the transfer that should bring PSG close to €50mn ($53.7mn).
Verratti won nine French league titles and the French Cup six times with PSG and the European Championship in 2021 with Italy.
Verratti has won 55 international caps, scoring three goals. He was in the Italy squad who won Euro 2020, starting the final in which they beat England in a penalty shootout.
After a summer in which the Saudi Arabian League continued to attract big-name players, including Verratti’s former PSG teammate Neymar who joined Al Hilal in Riyadh, the Italian is the second star to move to Qatar in less than a week. Brazilian forward Philippe Coutinho joined Al Duhail on a season-long loan from Aston Villa on Friday.