According to reports, it seems as though French giants Paris Saint-Germain have stepped up the team’s pursuit of Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba.

Per Mundo Deportivo, the Parisians are proposing a deal that would send Pogba to Paris with Italian midfield ace Marco Verratti heading the other way.

PSG are clearly hoping the proposed deal would help ward off interest from seemingly every other big club in the world. A potential move would represent a homecoming of sorts with Pogba being born in suburban Paris.

A pair of standout midfielders

The midfielder is on a fine run of form the Bianconeri this season, with two goals and four assists in 21 appearances in Serie A and the Champions League. In total, Pogba has completed 84.7% of his passes while making 1.7 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per contest. He is also averaging 1.5 key passes and 3.1 long balls every game.

The player rumored to be moving to Turin, Verratti, is also enjoying a solid campaign. The Italian, who is known for his prolific passing, hasn’t disappointed in so far for PSG this season. In 15 appearances across all competitions, the central midfielder has handed three assists while threading 1.4 key passes per game. He’s also competed 93.3% of his passes.

Verratti has also proved his worth on defence. The former Pescara player has averaged 2.3 tackles and two interceptions per contest.

Positives in moving to Turin

The midfielder has long been tabbed as Andrea Pirlo’s replacement in the Italian National Team thanks to his passing ability. A move back to Italy to suit up for the Old Lady would also put him in position to be Pirlo’s successor in Turin.

If the Bianconeri can’t hang on to Pogba, acquiring Verratti would be a massive boon for Juve, as the team would not have to search for a replacement in the middle of the park.

VAVEL Logo
About the author
Ben Rosener
Ben Rosener is a sports writer born and raised in the greater Seattle area. He is a college who is the editor and founder of two sports websites, Kingdome of Seattle Sports and Know Hitter, the latter of which is a member of the BBA. Ben’s work can also be found on the digital pages of Bleacher Report, USA Today, World Soccer Talk and FanSided among others. He only refers to himself in the third person for bios.