Laurent Blanc is hopeful Marco Verratti's injury will not rule him out of action for an extended period of time.
Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc has played down fears over the injury suffered by Marco Verratti in Tuesday's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.
The Italy international hurt his ankle 17 minutes into the Group A fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu and was replaced by Adrien Rabiot prior to Nacho's winner 10 minutes before half-time.
With Blanc's men keen to maintain a healthy lead at the top of Ligue 1 while sealing their Champions League progression along with Madrid, the PSG boss was upbeat over Verratti's injury.
"For now, I cannot say if the injury is serious or not serious," he told reporters.
"But in principle, it appears less serious than we thought. When I saw him crying out, I thought it was serious.
"He is a magnificent player and it's a pity he could not continue this match."
Reports suggested Verratti was examined at a hospital in Madrid on Tuesday and he will likely be tested further on his return to Paris.
First-half substitute Nacho was the unlikely hero with the only goal of the game as Real Madrid beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 on Tuesday to seal their place in the Champions League last 16.
The defender had only been on the field for two minutes as an emergency left-back in place of the injured Marcelo when he took advantage of a defensive mix-up in the 35th minute to slot past stranded PSG goalkeeper Kevin Trapp and score the only goal of the game.
The result allowed Rafael Benitez's side to become one of the first teams to guarantee their place in the knockout rounds as they maintained their unbeaten record this season and inflicted a first defeat on PSG since Barcelona eliminated the French champions from this competition in April.
However, PSG only have themselves to blame for losing after missing a host of chances in a first half they dominated.
With Shakhtar Donetsk beating Malmo 4-0 in Ukraine in the night's other game, Laurent Blanc's side remain four points clear of the teams below them and so should still comfortably join Madrid in the next round, but they are likely to have to settle for second place.
There was particular pressure on the visitors to show they could genuinely compete with one of the continent's finest in their own backyard after they lacked inspiration in a 0-0 draw with an injury-hit Real in France a fortnight ago.
Chances missed
And to be fair to PSG, they immediately took the game to their hosts, controlling possession and overcoming the loss of influential midfielder Marco Verratti to what appeared to be an ankle injury after just 17 minutes.
Back at his old home ground, Angel Di Maria played in Serge Aurier and his cutback picked out Blaise Matuidi for a first meaningful shot at goal, although his effort on his weaker right foot was easily saved by Keylor Navas.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, so disappointing in the reverse fixture, then curled a shot agonisingly wide and the Swede also hammered a long-range free-kick inches past the post with Navas beaten just before the half-hour mark.
The crucial moment in the game arrived shortly after, with Nacho being sent on to replace Marcelo after the Brazilian pulled up injured.
Two minutes after that, the 25-year-old defender put his team in front, with the aid of the PSG defence.
When a Toni Kroos shot struck Thiago Silva and looped up into the air, Trapp came racing off his line towards the ball but then stopped, allowing Nacho to sidefoot a first-time effort into the unguarded net from the left side of the box.
The goal came utterly against the run of play, and to their credit PSG did not let their heads go down.
Adrien Rabiot sent a controlled volley with his left foot against the base of the post from 25 yards before somehow both Edinson Cavani and Ibrahimovic failed to connect with an inviting Maxwell cross from the left.
Worse was to come as Cavani passed up the best chance to fall the visitors' way yet, squandering a glorious opportunity to score after a Di Maria pass had left him through with just Navas to beat.
There was a vast improvement from Madrid in the second half and most of the chances were theirs, with Trapp saving from Isco, twice, and Kroos.
However, there was to be more agony for Paris as Di Maria crashed a free-kick off the top of the bar and over in the 89th minute, as the home fans breathed a sigh of relief.
Angel di Maria, Paris Saint-Germain's new recruit, believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic is on par with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on technical ability.
Paris: French club Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) latest recruit Angel Di Maria says that he believes team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic is at par with football superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on technical ability. (Swedes Love For Zlatan Ibrahimovic Unshaken)
Di Maria plays for Argentina alongside Messi and has also played with Ronaldo at Real Madrid for four seasons. (AC Milan Desperate to Sign Me: Ibrahimovic)
"As you know, I have had the chance to play with Leo, Cristiano and [United captain] Rooney, but now Ibra (Ibrahimovic). Frankly, I am impressed by the quality of his technique and his movement. He's on the same level as Leo and CR7," Di Maria was quoted as saying by goal.com.
The 27-year old also said he is amazed with the talent that Italian Marco Verratti, his team-mate at PSG has.
"He is also an awesome player," he said. "In addition, he is still very young and can go very far."
The former Manchester United winger also believes PSG can win the Champions League this year despite being in a group featuring Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk and Malmo.
"We have many good players, we have a lot of ambition and I have come to help this team, like others before me, win this competition," he said.
"It's possible for us to win our group, too, but it will be complicated. I think we will have to be perfect at home because it will be difficult to win away in this group."
Di Maria’s big Ligue 1 debut will have to wait just one more weekend, as the midfielder, Ibrahimovic and Verratti will not be available for PSG on Friday.
Laurent Blanc was hoping to start Di Maria on Friday, but the former United man is still struggling with a hamstring injury.
PSG ace and talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic is out due to a knee injury, while Marco Verratti is sitting the game out due to a hip injury.
Marquinihos is back with the squad, but Van der Wiel will not be joining PSG against Montpellier.
Marco Verratti has said he admires Barcelona's style of play but insisted he is happy to remain at Paris Saint-Germain.
Verratti, 22, joined PSG from Pescara in 2012 in relative anonymity but his performances for the French champions have led to links with Barcelona and Juventus.
However, the Italy international said he is happy at the Parc des Princes, even if he has huge admiration for Barca.
"As they say, you never know what the future will bring," Verratti told Goal.com. "I'm good where I am, and I'm not thinking of changing club, because you know what you are losing but not what you're going to find.
"The day when I no longer feel good in Paris or when the club wants to sell me then I will look at my options, but England, Spain, Italy, it's the same for me. What counts is the project of the clubs.
"Barca are one of the strongest teams in the world. They've been at the top of the game for a while. They're a great team, but I'm happy at PSG. When a team as strong as that takes an interest in you, it makes any player happy. It's true that I like their style of play."
French media claim Verratti will soon see his estimated €3 million annual salary upped by the Ligue 1 champions in recognition of the importance to the team.
Despite having signed Angel Di Maria, Kevin Trapp and Benjamin Stambouli this summer, PSG continue to look to reinforce their squad with Monaco left-back Layvin Kurzawa a reported target with Lucas Digne set to leave Paris to join Roma.
According to RMC, Kurzawa, 22, would welcome a move to PSG, but the Ligue 1 title-holders would need to offer in excess of €20m to tempt Monaco into parting with the France international.
RMC also reports that PSG have agreed terms with promising Brazilian midfielder Gustavo Hebling. The 19-year-old Sao Paulo man has arrived in France, but administrative issues are delaying the completion of the move.
When it does go through, it is claimed that Hebling will be loaned to Dutch side Zwolle for two seasons.
Arsenal are being linked with a double raid on PSG for Marco Verratti and Ezequiel Lavezzi.
The Daily Express says Lavezzi is out-of-favour in the French capital and has reportedly been offered to the Gunners, along with Tottenham and West Ham.
Verratti is of interest for Arsenal after stating that he would like to possibly play in a different league and some point in his career.
Arsene Wenger could move for the midfielder at some point in the next year, as they look to bolster their squad after an unconvincing start to the season.
The Parisians look to win their fourth straight Ligue 1 title, but with the squad they have: they want to achieve more than just that.
Picture Source: Montreal Gazette
PSG manager Laurent Blanc, with the help as always of Nasser Al-Khelaifi, has sculpted one of the best squads on paper in French football ahead of the 2015/16 season with a host of new additions.
Last Season
PSG had an impressive seasons for the history books. They became the first ever French team to complete the domestic "treble" at the end of the season. They won the Ligue 1 championship, the Coupe de France, and the Coupe de la Ligue. Including the Trophée des Champions at the start of the season, they won four titles during the campaign. This was something never before achieved by a French club.
Winning a third straight Ligue 1 title with the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Marco Verratti, Javier Pastore and much more players, the club from the capital surely had the talent to win almost everything except one that was the most important and the overall goal of the project ever since Qatar Sports Investments came in 2011.
They won the league having only been first at all this season in the 30th matchday with eight matchdays left in the season, an incredible comeback by finishing eight points above Lyon.
In the Coupe de la Ligue, they won 4-0 to Bastia and in the Coupe de France, they beat Auxerre 1-0 as PSG achieved a double from those titles by beating surprising sides.
However, in Europe, it was the same story all over again. They were drawn in a tough group with Ajax, APOEL and eventual Europeanchampions FC Barcelona, they ended up finishing second in their group and ended up playing a dramatic Round of 16 match against eventual Premier League champions Chelsea but then had a rematch in the quarterfinals against FC Barcelona and lost on both legs. Still, it was a season to remember, however it can be better.
Transfers In and Out - (excluding end of loans)
IN (3): Kevin Trapp from Eintracht Frankfurt for €10 million, Benjamin Stambouli from Tottenham Hotspur for €8.6 million, Angel Di Maria from Manchester United for €63 million.
Out (6): Alphonse Areola to Villarreal (Loan), Zoumana Camara (Retired), Mory Diaw to Mafra, Yohan Cabaye to Crystal Palace for €14 million, Romain Habran to Stade Lavallois (Loan), Jordan Ikoko to Lens (Loan)
The most important in has to be Angel Di Maria. Laurent Blanc says that he sees Di Maria as perfect the left sided option that the team has been crying out for a while. Based on that, you'd expect to see theArgentine feature predominantly on the left and that's where Blanc will get the best out of him. Squad rotation will be a bit of a problem however with the huge amount of talent.
Cabaye might be the most notable out, as he's still a great midfielder but with so much depth, the lack of first-time minutes makes it difficult.
Manager
Le President wants the Champions League
This will be Blanc's third season in charge. His resume is great as a player and a manager during his stints at various French clubs and of course the national team. If he continues to accumulate silverware at his current impressive rate, then le President could go down as an all-time French great as both player and manager, especially if he wins the Champions League.
First Six
1. Lille-PSG
2. PSG-Ajaccio
3. Montpellier-PSG
4. Monaco-PSG
5. PSG-Bordeaux
6. Reims-PSG
Six important matches, six must wins and surely PSG should have an easy time to get 18 points after six matches. The important one will probably be the fourth matchday against Monaco in the Stade Louis-II as they look to get three points and go top of the league by September.
The 38th and final matchday will be against Nantes at the Parc des Princes.
Derby Days
Le Classique against Marseille saw PSG win 2-0 at home and in the Stade Vélodrome in a dramatic 3-2 victory. This time it will be a bit different. PSG have strengthen while Marseille are looking to make achieve a miracle by beating them with a weaker side following the mass exodus of players in the French city.
Predicted Most Important Player
El Fideo looks to be the missing piece found for a perfect PSG side.
Angel Di Maria: Say what you want about him, but PSG have found the perfect player to fill the hole that was needed as a perfect left winger.
El Fideo is very much an instinct player, which is why he has played better for counter attacking sides than sides who dominate possession, just like the way PSG play and with a side with amazing attacking depth, this side can dominate European football for years to come.
Predicted finishes (All competitions)
Ligue 1 - 1st
It doesn't seem like there'll be any other team claiming the drown this season. Clearly the best side in France, there shouldn't be any sides making as close of a battle for the league title and it appears that PSG will run away with the title for the fourth straight time.
Coupe de France and de la Ligue - Champions
They know they dominate the league and they can do the same in the domestic level. Unless something goes horribly wrong and they lose early in the competition, then it appears that PSG will win the domestic treble once again.
UEFA Champions League - Semifinals
Nothing but progress past the Champions League quarterfinals will do and end that drought. That being said, with this almost perfect side, PSG surely are the favourites to win this title and become the first French side back in the Champions League final since Monaco in 2004 as well as becoming the second French club to win Europe's biggest prize and become the first side since Marseille in 1993 to do so.
Expert's Take: Jonathan Johnson of beIN Sport, ESPNFC and Bleacher Report
''The challenge for PSG this season will be to replicate last campaign's immense domestic success and combine it with progress in the Champions League. Last term, Laurent Blanc's men managed the first ever domestic clean sweep and they will be aiming to do at least the same once again this time around.
Summer signings and squad depth
This summer's signings like Angel Di Maria and Kevin Trapp strengthen the PSG starting XI, while Benjamin Stambouli replaces Yohan Cabaye in a squad role and adds some useful versatility. As long as they do not suffer the same fitness problems as last season and that they avoid complacency, there is no reason why les Parisiens cannot repeat last term's achievements and go at least one step further in the Champions League.
What will di Maria bring?
With the arrival of Di Maria, PSG will be an exciting team to watch in Europe and the Argentina international should also help them raise their level of their domestic performances considerably. There were a few impressive displays from Blanc's men in Ligue 1 last season, but not as many as there should have been. The French champions appear to be focused and hungry already, with two pieces of pre-season silverware under their belt, and the campaign has not even kicked off yet.
Who'll be this season's surprise package?
PSG's squad is littered with star names like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marco Verratti, Javier Pastore and Edinson Cavani, but one player to keep an eye on this season is young attacking talent Jean-Kevin Augustin. The 18-year-old impressed in pre-season with his prolific form and suggested that he has a part to play in Blanc's first team plans this season. Hopefully he gets given the chance to impress when he has earned it, unlike Jean-Christophe Bahebeck last term.''
There is something a little different about the atmosphere around Paris Saint-Germain this week during their preseason in the U.S. There's something in the air. The smiles on players' faces are broader, Laurent Blanc looks like the cat who got the cream and even Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been praising someone other than himself.
"He is a fantastic player," the big Swede said last week about Angel Di Maria. "He brings pace, big quality and for sure he will make our team even better."
The Argentine is obviously the reason why PSG are feeling pretty good about themselves after courting him last summer and ultimately seeing him join Manchester United -- a destination he reportedly didn't really want to go in the first place. Twelve months ago, everything seemed set between PSG and Di Maria, but financial fair play (FFP)restrictions meant that the Parisians never found an agreement with Real Madrid.
A year on, FFP sanctions have been eased and Paris are free to spend as they want on the winger. And while the world waits for the transfer to become official as there are still some small details to iron out between the two clubs and Di Maria's agent Jorge Mendes -- the player reportedly wants a five-year deal while the club would prefer a contract of four years -- it's worth looking at why the Parisians are so happy to potentially bag the Argentinean winger.
The French champions have been looking for a left winger for months now. None of Ezequiel Lavezzi, Javier Pastore, Edinson Cavani or Lucas Moura have convinced in that position. Some because they simply weren't good enough and others because they were out of position there. Regardless of the reasons why, that left-hand side has been an issue for PSG over the last two seasons.
Di Maria would fill the gap perfectly. He is left-footed, loves the space ahead of him on the flank and is equally eager to dribble, cross or pass. His pace on the ball is precious on the break, which is another attribute the Parisians have been lacking for some time. Under Carlo Ancelotti, the team enjoyed catching opponents on the counter as much as getting hold of the ball. Since Laurent Blanc arrived in 2013, PSG are all about possession and can be too one-dimensional at times, especially in big games. Di Maria would give the team something else in their locker.
He would also give Blanc more options. The Argentinian shone with Real Madrid at the end of the 2013-2014 season, leading them to their tenth Champions League trophy, from a deeper position in midfield in the Los Merengues' 4-3-3. PSG also play in a 4-3-3 formation, and despite having a superb midfield already manned by Thiago Motta, Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi, Blanc might fancy playing Di Maria ahead of Matuidi for example to add an extra gear to his midfield. Motta will be the holding player, Verratti will deliver his wonderful passes and Di Maria could run with the ball at the opposition from deep.
Di Maria would add more variation. He could also play with Pastore, with whom he had great understanding with Argentina during the Copa America, in a 4-2-3-1 formation for example.
On every level, he is a transfer that makes pure sense for PSG. He works hard defensively and for the team. He has great energy, a lot of experience and he has won trophies. He is a big name that would help the PSG brand continue to grow. With him, and all of last season's squad remaining intact, Paris would be much stronger.
His season with Manchester United is often referred to as disappointing, but until the end of November he was very convincing. Then he got injured, allegedly burgled, dropped by manager Louis van Gaal and lost focus toward the end of the season. Physically, the World Cup caught up with him, and he ran out of steam as the season went on.
A year after his move to Paris Saint-Germain fell through, it seems Angel Di Maria is destined to arrive at Parc des Princes this summer.
But we saw his quality at times. He delivered 10 assists (only Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas had more, but the Argentine made fewer appearances than the two Chelsea stars) and he scored one of the goals of the season at Leicester City.
The slight worry for PSG is the player's fitness. He missed two and a half months of action last season, and he will need to stay fit to fulfill his true potential.
Right now, Di Maria is still in Argentina, where he is nursing the thigh injury he picked up in the Copa America final against Chile. Reports in France say that he could be presented by the Parisians later this week.
There is no doubt that, should his move be finalised, Angel Di Maria will take PSG into a new dimension.
"He will be a big asset, for sure," said Zinedine Zidane, who coached Di Maria at Real Madrid. "Players like him take you to the next level. He can bring his energy, the differences he makes when he accelerate on the ball. He has the quality to do something."
It's no wonder that Blanc and his players are feeling on top of the world right now.
he Paris Saint-Germain star has revealed his ultimate side to Goal - and he has snubbed Cristiano Ronaldo while opting not to choose a goalkeeper
Marco Verrattihas revealed his dream five-a-side team toGoal– an ultra-attacking line-up which featuresLionel Messiand three of his current Paris Saint-Germainteam-mates.
Lining up without a goalkeeper and with just one defender included, Verratti says they would not worry about conceding as they could outscore any opponents.
"My dream five-a-side team will be: me, Messi, Ibrahimovic, Maxwell and Thiago Motta,” he told Goal.
With Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the team supported by himself and fellow PSG stars Thiago Motta and Maxwell, the Italy international has put together a solid outfit.
Combining Messi and Ibrahimovic did not work well at Barcelona, but the 22-year-old is certain they will be a hit together in a five-a-side team.
Despite the lack of a goalkeeper, Verratti is confident his team would demolish their rivals with such a fluid midfield and fierce attack.
"We will play without a goalkeeper," he added. "We are a great team, therefore we will only attack."
The presidential candidate will bid to sign the midfielder if he wins the election and is confident a deal could be agreed
Barcelona presidential candidate Agusti Benedito has revealed Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti will be his main transfer target if he is elected.
The Italy international, 22, has a contract with PSG until June 2019, but Benedito is hopeful of luring the midfielder to Camp Nou if he wins this month's election.
Barcelona have already secured the services of Arda Turan from Atletico Madrid and Aleix Vidal from Sevilla and Benedito is confident Verratti could be their latest big signing.
"For us, Verratti is our number one priority if we win the election," Benedito told AS.
"He has shown to have the ability to come to Barcelona, but his club do not want to sell. He remains top of our list, though.
"We have not held negotiations with PSG or Verratti because that's impossible, but we have been in touch and have a good relationship.
"We are confident we can convince PSG and Verratti to agree to a deal.
"I don't know what Luis Enrique thinks of Verratti, but I think he will be interested in siging him.
"We will see how the election goes and then we can talk with PSG."
Benedito faces competition from Josep Bartomeu, Joan Laporta, Toni Freixa and Joan Batiste in the race for the Barcelona presidency.
Marco Verratti's agent has dismissed suggestions that the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder could be on his way to Barcelona.
Reports emerged last month claiming that the 22-year-old was closing in on a move to the Camp Nou, as a replacement for recently-departed club legend Xavi.
The Italian international's representative, Donati Di Campli, has held talks with Barca presidential candidate Toni Freixa in the past, but he insists that no agreement was struck.
"I haven't seen Freixa, as was reported in the media, but I have spoken to him on the telephone," he toldSky Italia. "But I speak with a lot of people every day and it doesn't mean anything.
"Marco is absolutely calm, he is happy in Paris and has a long-term contract. Whoever wants him needs to get in contact directly with Paris St Germain and not with us. There's nothing else for us to add."
Barcelona are currently under a transfer ban, which was imposed on them by FIFA last year, meaning that they are unable to officially register any new signings until January
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has admitted he rejected an approach for Lionel Messi from Paris Saint-Germain.
The Blaugrana chief suggests PSG's decision to rebuff his approach for midfielder Marco Verratti resulted in any conversation over Messi being terminated. "PSG asked if Messi was for sale," Bartomeu told Cadena Ser (h/t Rhys Turrell of the Daily Star). "I said, 'And (Marco) Verratti?' They said no...so Messi is not either."
Turrell suggests Barca "have no interest in selling" their era-defining star, a man who scored 58 goals across La Liga, the Copa del Rey and Champions League during the side's treble-winning 2014-15 season. Per Turrell, Messi was linked with moves to Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea during the January transfer window, but he remains irreplaceable to Luis Enrique's exciting Barca side.
Manu Fernandez/Associated Press
PSG may dominate the summer transfer window now UEFA has eased its financial fair play regulations, per Peter Hanson of Goal.com. Despite last year'sfine and squad cap for failing to stay within the governing body's limitations, PSG are now seemingly free to spend a huge amount on improving their squad.
This is great news for coach Laurent Blanc, but it will likely prove frustrating for many of Europe's elite, who could have important players plucked away. Alongside interest in Messi, the Ligue 1 champions appear determined to sign Angel Di Maria from United, as reported by Jason Burt of the Telegraph. The Argentinian escaped PSG's grasp last summer when UEFA deployed its sanctions.
Messi remains an elusive capture and is yet to suggest he would welcome a transfer away from the Camp Nou. "My intention is to stay at Barcelona forever," he said in 2013, reported Marca (h/t Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC). "I appreciate it, if it is true what is said, that there are people interested. It makes you proud that people say these things, but my life is in Barcelona."
Emilio Morenatti/Associated Press
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi previously told L'Equipe (h/t Ian Holyman of ESPN FC) that "some limits" would stop Messi from ever heading to the French capital. "If we didn't have any limit, we'd bring in Messi," he said. UEFA's relaxing of its own guidelines is useful, but PSG—like every Champions League and Europa League club—must still effectively break even on an annual basis.
Messi's quality shows no sign of slowing down, emphasised by his terrific relationship with Neymar and Luis Suarez. He remains the centrepiece of Barcelona's rampant squad, a once-in-a-generation player whose value cannot be defined in monetary terms.
He is always going to be a star attraction—like Pele and Diego Maradona nowadays—and will leave Barca with a chasm to fill when he does move on.
Marco Verratti's agent has revealed he has been approached by a Barcelona presidential candidate over the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, but insisted his client is happy in the French capital.
Speaking to Italian media, Donato di Campli acknowledged there had been contact between with Barcelona presidential candidate Toni Freixa regarding the availability of Verratti, 22, should he be elected at the Camp Nou.
He said: "With Freixa, we've never met each other, we have only talked on the phone. There is contact every day with a lot of people, but that doesn't mean anything.
"Marco is absolutely clear. He feels good in Paris and has a long-term contract. If a club wants him, they have to contact Paris Saint-Germain, not us."
Verratti, who was bought from Pescara for €8 million in 2012, has been courted by a number of clubs, including Juventus and Real Madrid, since establishing himself at PSG.
He has, however, consistently outlined his content at the French club, though Di Campli told Cadena Ser Verratti does harbour ambitions of pulling on a Barca shirt.
"He would love to play for Barcelona, but PSG won't sell him," the Italian said.
The Blaugrana will elect their president for the next four years on Saturday - and each of the four nominees have made some interesting promises should they get in power
Before Barcelona’s socios go to the polls to elect a new president, there are always plenty of issues that are considered - from economic policies to boardroom structure. However, the promise of a high-profile signing often sways the voter one way or another.
This year’s election was supposed to be different. The Blaugrana’s two-window transfer ban for signing foreign youngsters against Fifa rules should have resulted in the 2015 vote being more about the general direction of the club than new toys for coach Luis Enrique to play with.
However, Josep Maria Bartomeu’s signings of Aleix Vidal from Sevilla and Arda Turan from Atletico Madrid have already shown that deals can be done despite the inability to register new additions until January 2016.
There have been various promises from other candidates. While Bartomeu himself insists he has completed all the transfer movements he intends to pursue this summer, he has promised to spend at least €60 million on players each summer if his candidacy is successful.
Pogba | Bartomeu won't sign the Juventus star in 2015-16, but could next summer
His board has been pilloried by opponent Joan Laporta for their failed effort to lure Paul Pogba from Juventus, although he has not ruled out returning for another attempt in 12 months' time. The former president – who stood as club chief between 2003 and 2010 – has vowed to sign the French midfield star if he is brought back into power. Laporta has ridiculed current director of sporting institutional reforms Albert Soler for his part in the aborted talks.
“[Sporting director Ariedo] Braida's meeting with Juventus and Soler was a failure, it was ridiculous and made Barcelona look bad,” Laporta told Cadena Ser.
“Soler acts in ignorance of the world of football.”
The 53-year-old insists he has a number of other players in mind, with Eric Abidal set to be his sporting director.
Catalan businessman Agusti Benedito, who worked under Laporta for six years of his mandate, says Marco Verratti would be at the top of his transfer target list having come to a verbal agreement with the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder. Benedito also foresees a potential return for Denis Suarez from his loan spell at Sevilla, which is due to end in June 2016.
Laporta | The former president fancies his chances of completing a deal for Pogba
Benedito originally claimed he would look to sell Arda Turan back to Atletico, with an agreement in the original transfer allowing Barca to renege on the deal before July 20 at a loss of €3.4m on the initial €34m fee. However, these plans have now been scrapped and Benedito promises the Turkish star will remain.
Outsider Toni Freixa has not revealed too many transfer plans, although Verratti's agent, Donato Di Campli, claims he has held a conversation with the presidential candidate over the Italian midfielder. Barca club legend Jose Mari Bakero has been lined up to be Freixa’s sporting director.
This Saturday we will discover who Barcelona's president will be for the next four years - and there is no doubt that the promise of new signings will play a huge role in the outcome. And all in a summer when we expected Barcelona not to make a single purchase.
Real Madrid are "working on signing" Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti, according to David Amoyal, a writer on behalf of Sky Italia's Gianluca Di Marzio.
It is suggested Ernesto Bronzetti, an aide to Madrid President Florentino Perez, recently met with the player's representative to discuss a deal. Amoyal provides the details:
Yesterday we reported intermediary Bronzetti met with the player's agent in Milano to see if there are the margins for a deal, but that wasn't the only attempt Real Madrid made. Two days ago the merengeues' president Florentino Perez met with Verratti's agent in Madrid, Real is willing to offer the player €7 million after taxes a season and PSG €50 million for the transfer fee. Verratti is pondering his future, in the meantime he'll attend his former team Pescara match against Bologna in the Serie B playoffs.
"In light of the rumours spread by various media outlets concerning an alleged offer on the part of Real Madrid for the player Marco Verratti, the club states that Real Madrid have not made any contact with PSG or the player's agent, and therefore these rumours are completely untrue," the club said in a statement.
The Italian pitbull is key for the French champions, providing momentous fight in the middle of the park. He averaged three tackles, 1.5 interceptions and a pass accuracy of 91.5 percent in Ligue 1 matches last season, per WhoScored.com. The 22-year-old has developed a reputation for being hot-headed and gutsy, two attributes which drive his game.
Lionel Cironneau/Associated Press
B/R UK's Jonathan Johnson doesn't expect him to leave the Parc des Princes, as noted in a response on Twitter:
Madrid continue to be linked with a move for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, a player Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann believes would be ideal for the Bernabeu setup.
"He's a top player and I think he needs a different level to learn," said Griezmann of his French international team-mate, per Marca (h/t Ben Jefferson of the DailyExpress). "There's talk of him joining Real Madrid which would be perfect for him. I'm sure he'd learn even more."
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However, AS reports "Madrid are not set to enter into an auction" for the player, which is currently being led by Premier League runners-up Manchester City. Madrid recently provided an official denial of a La Stampa story linking Pogba to the Bernabeu.
AS' story suggests City are willing to pay more than every other suitor to secure Pogba's future, including a €100 million fee and €9 million-per-year wage. This would be an extremely ambitious move considering the club's punishment for failing to adhere to UEFA's financial fair play rules last summer.
Former Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini is also linked with a £33 million attempt to sign Isco from Los Blancos, a player he failed to capture from Malaga in 2013, as reported by Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News.
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Isco became a key player under Carlo Ancelotti, but he may be pushed out of the side now that Rafa Benitez has been installed as boss. The tactical manager is likely to seek greater balance in his team, possibly by sacrificing either Isco or James Rodriguez in central midfield.
Ancelotti crammed the pair—both attack-minded playmakers by trade—into a central three alongside Toni Kroos last season, which often left Los Blancos overrun. As such, Isco may once again find it a struggle to make a lasting impact in the Spanish capital.
It's only natural Benitez will want to quickly usher his influence over the squad, so notable changes could soon be made.
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Verratti would be an inspired signing for Madrid—the kind of player who can break up and spread play brilliantly. Stars such as him—those who do the dirty work—perhaps could have kept Ancelotti in the job longer. However, PSG will likely demand a huge offer to interrupt their galvanising process so significantly
Pogba | Bartomeu won't sign the Juventus star in 2015-16, but could next summer
Laporta | The former president fancies his chances of completing a deal for Pogba
