Recent reports indicate that Gennaro Gattuso and Gianluigi Buffon have met with former PSG midfielder Marco Verratti to discuss the possibility of his return to the Italy national team for the World Cup play-off campaign scheduled in March.
Is a Verratti Comeback for Italy in the Works?
Verratti, who is 33 years old, currently plays for Al-Duhail in Qatar, having transferred from Al-Arabi over the summer. He spent 11 years in Ligue 1 with PSG before making the move to the Middle East.
Despite not representing the Italy national team since 2023, sources from La Gazzetta dello Sport suggest that Buffon and Gattuso discussed the prospects of a remarkable return for Verratti in March.
ENSCHEDE, NETHERLANDS – JUNE 15: Marco Verratti arrives for the UEFA Nations League 2022/23 semifinal match between Spain and Italy at FC Twente Stadium on June 15, 2023. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
According to Saturday’s reports, Gattuso and Buffon traveled to Qatar following a recent visit to Saudi Arabia, where they met Al-Qadsiah’s Mateo Retegui.
There is a growing sentiment that Italy has been lacking a deep-lying playmaker since the days of Verratti and Jorginho, and many believe that the seasoned 33-year-old could still make a valuable contribution to the national team. However, it is noted that discussions with Gattuso are still in the ‘exploratory’ phase, and no final decision has been made yet.
Italy’s midfield has featured regulars such as Sandro Tonali, Niccolo Barella, Davide Frattesi, Manuel Locatelli, Samuele Ricci, and Nicolo Rovella over the past two seasons.