Marco Verratti Leaves PSG To Sign For Al-Arabi In Qatar

Italy midfielder Marco Verratti signed for Qatari club Al-Arabi on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old - who has been capped 55 times at senior international level - joined Al-Arabi from Paris Saint-Germain for a transfer fee in the region of $48 million.

Verratti is the second high-profile player to move from Europe to Qatar in less than a week, after Brazil international Philippe Coutinho recently signed for Al-Duhail on a season-long loan from Aston Villa.

Euro 2020 winner Verratti had been at PSG since 2012 and won 30 trophies in 13 seasons in France, including nine Ligue 1 titles.

He played in 416 games for PSG, scoring 11 goals.

Marco Verratti has left Paris Saint-Germain after 13 seasons with the club

IMAGO/PRiME Media Images/Andy Rowland

"I was very proud to wear the colors of Paris St-Germain for more than a decade, to rub shoulders with so many great players and to win 30 trophies," Verratti told PSG's official website in a farewell statement.

"Paris, the club and its supporters will always have a very special place in my heart. I will be Parisian forever."

Verratti had previously been linked with a possible move to Saudi Arabia. But no Saudi Pro League club managed to get a deal done before the country's summer transfer window closed on September 7.

The transfer window for Qatari sides will close on September 18.