Barcelona's strategy to sign PSG's Marco Verratti this summer
The midfielder has to be proactive and force the French side to open talks
Once he's personally told PSG he wants to leave, Barça will make an offer
FC Barcelona are aware that the signing of Marco Verratti is a slow burner. The club's executives feel the first steps are beginning to fall into place, but as of today there's still a lot of work to be done.
One of the biggest problems of the operation is that Paris Saint-Germain are a buying club, not a selling one. Therefore, Barcelona need the help of Verratti to push the French side into opening negotiations over a transfer.
The next step has to be taken by Verratti, who is currently with his agent in Ibiza enjoying a deserved break, by calling a meeting with PSG to tell them of his intention to leave the club if a decent offer arrives from Barça.
This meeting, according to Barca's executives, is important for pushing the operation through. The player has to be clear on what his preferences are this summer.
When the player has communicated his interest to leave, Barcelona will make an official offer to PSG. Here is where a period of negotiations, which could go on for weeks, will begin.
In France they're talking about 100 million euros to start with. That's an amount which is far too high, though, according to some sources at the Catalan club.
Evidently, Josep Maria Bartomeu getting involved in the talks could be fundamental. Remember that PSG chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi is a tough person to negotiate with, as Barça found out when they tried to sign Marquinhos several times.
Barça have a final trick up their sleeve which they hope they don't have to use. That would be getting Verratti to say in public that his desire is to leave PSG and move to Camp Nou. It could come to that point if things don't progress and Barça feel drastic measures need to be taken.
