Marco Verratti: Paris St-Germain and Italy midfielder signs for Qatari club Al-Arabi in 拢38.7m deal

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Image caption, Marco Verratti joined Paris St-Germain in 2012 and spent 11 years in the French capital, making over 400 appearances

Italy midfielder Marco Verratti has completed a move to Qatari side Al-Arabi from Paris St-Germain for a reported 45m euros (拢38.7m).

He is the second high-profile European-based player to secure a deal to Qatar in a week.

Aston Villa's Philippe Coutinho joined Al-Duhail on a season-long loan last Friday.

Verratti won nine Ligue 1 titles with PSG after joining in 2012, while he also helped Italy win Euro 2020.

"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

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

Verratti becomes the latest European player to move to the Middle East, after many made the switch to the Saudi Pro League during the summer.

The 30-year-old's former PSG team-mate Neymar moved to Al-Hilal for 拢77.6m in August.

He will link up with former PSG man Rafinha, younger brother of Liverpool midfielder Thiago, at Al-Arabi, with the pair having played in Paris with one another between 2020 and 2022.

The Italian had been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League, but no club was able to get a deal done by the 7 September transfer deadline.