Barcelona president admits Marco Verratti wants to join the club as agent labels him 'prisoner' of PSG

The Italian midfielder has asked to leave Paris Saint-Germain but it won't be so easy

Verratti is a "prisoner of the Emir" his agent has said (Getty)

"We want Marco Verratti and he wants to come here," admitted FC Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu as he finally made public his club's pursuit of the Italian playmaker.

It has been a saga that has so far been played out in the shadows, with leaks from agents and the occasional suggestive comment made to the press. Verratti himself has remained silent throughout but Barca, for the first time, have declared their interest in signing the €100m-rated midfielder in an interview given by club president Bartomeu to Mundo Deportivo, a Catalunya-based daily newspaper.

"Verratti is a player that interests us for a transfer, the coaches believe he is good enough to play in the Barca midfield.

"We know the player is bowled over by the prospect of coming to Barca. But when you ring PSG and you talk to their president, he says to us that he is not for sale and that there they don't have release clauses."

And on the same night that Bartomeu went public with the club's firm interest, Verratti's agent Donato De Campli accused Paris Saint-Germain of imprisoning him in the rouge et bleu when all he wants is to drape himself in blaugrana.

"Marco Verratti is a prisoner of the Emir," he said, igniting a feud in vain hope of forcing PSG president Nasser El-Khelaifi to sell his most prized asset.

Bartomeu has admitted Barcelona want to sign Verratti (Getty Images)

"El-Khelaifi has told me that if he sells [Verratti] then they would never forgive him in Doha."

Many big, rich and powerful clubs have tried to sign Paris Saint-Germain players in recent years but the Parc des Princes hierarchy do not take well to intimidatory tactics. Undoubtedly, a frustrated De Campli has decided to take this course - as Barca have taken their own new path with Bartomeu's declarations - as they know that trying to sign the midfielder by any normal route will be a fruitless exercise.

"For now we have not sat down with PSG despite having a player who wishes to come here," said Bartomeu.

"If Verratti had a release clause we would be able to go for him. But right now, up until the deadline, I don't know if we'll be able to sit down and negotiate with them."

Barcelona and Verratti's camp had to try something new to force through a deal, but recent history suggests they will fail.