Is Verratti wasting his career away at PSG? (other stars who avoided big moves...)

Raees

Pythagoras in Boots
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Is it me or is Verratti staying at PSG for the foreseeable future one of the biggest waste of talents I have ever seen in the sense that he isn't really putting his talents to the test against the best in the world on a regular basis and if he was at Barca or Real.. not only would he be starting, he'd be the star of their midfields and would probably have a couple of CL's to his name already. I think he's the best centre mid in the world, bar Modric.

Off the top of my head, I think Gerrard and Totti are two examples of star players staying at smaller clubs and not really winning what they should have over the course of their careers, but one thing they had going for them was that they played in uber competitive globally recognised leagues, played for historic clubs, were local boys and thus they were being challenged constantly.

I don't see how playing for PSG in Ligue 1 can be such a riveting challenge that you'd want to dedicate your life to the club. Plus he's not even french, he's italian.

Anyway are there any other significant players you can think of who wasted their career in a similar manner and what do you make of Verratti's loyalty to PSG. Commendable or cowardice?
 
He's 23. As long as he moves to a competitive big club in the next couple of seasons I see no problem.

He's continuing to improve rather than stagnate and playing within himself.
 
He's only 23, he'll make a move in the next couple of years.

Good question about other players that may have been considered greater had they moved on. Trying to think of some. The cliched English example is le tissier and Gascogne to a point
 
He's still very young, think he'll move to one of the Spanish clubs in a few years, after he's made an unbelievable amount of cash.
 
I agree, he should definitely be at a bigger club. Also, PSG doesn't need money so it will be difficult for anyone to persuade them to sell.
 
He's still 23, I wouldn't call it 'loyal' yet. He signed a new contract and that's all. I believe this discussion would be more relevant if he's still there in 6 years.
However, if he does end up doing that, I'm not sure we can call it cowardice. Maybe he just absolutely loves being there. Maybe that's what he wants to get out of his career, being happy and stable and playing the sport he loves. It's possible that not everyone feels the obligation to "prove" themselves in other leagues.
 
I am afraid PSG is not going to sell him, so he will need to run down his contract. But he is only 23, so there is plenty of time to fulfill his destiny:

CA8tu1BWwAADcvO.jpg
 
Shearer at Newcastle would have won loads at a bigger club. Veratti is different to these examples though, in that psg is not his local club. I think he's just making a pragmatic decision, and the psg salary is winning.
 
Shearer at Newcastle would have won loads at a bigger club. Veratti is different to these examples though, in that psg is not his local club. I think he's just making a pragmatic decision, and the psg salary is winning.

Shearer is a good call.
 
He would go for near Pogba money

I think he'd go for more. He's obsessed over by Barca fans and they're shit scared of him going to Real.. I think there would be a huge transfer battle over his services if he did become available. £150m+ imo,
 
I actually think its smart to stick with PSG for a while. He can work on his progress without much pressure because PSG steamroll the French league anyway and he gets to play top class opponents in the CL where they routinely reach the quarters.
If he transfers to a team like barca in his prime when he's around 25-27, he has done everything right.
 
He'd be much more expensive than Pogba. PSG would laugh at 100m, they don't need money. Only way he's ever leaving is for something crazy like 200m or him getting unsettled and forcing a move.
 
I am afraid PSG is not going to sell him, so he will need to run down his contract. But he is only 23, so there is plenty of time to fulfill his destiny:

CA8tu1BWwAADcvO.jpg

Crazy thing is that he was 15 in this pic and had already been capped 3 times for Italy u19s.
 
He needs to get his injuries sorted first before anybody will consider paying 100+ on him. Massively talented though obviously.
 
No

He's playing for a very ambitious club, who are trying really hard to eventually win the Champions League. Giving up on them and walking straight into a contender at Madrid or Barca would be the easy way out.
 
Shearer at Newcastle would have won loads at a bigger club. Veratti is different to these examples though, in that psg is not his local club. I think he's just making a pragmatic decision, and the psg salary is winning.
Reminded me of Di Natale, who I guess would fit in well in this thread too.
 
Dream midfield signing. Don't think Jose would but I'd love him in a three man midfield with Herrera and Pogba.

On topic - he's playing for one of the best sides in Europe earning a lot of money. Juventus wouldn't really be a step up competition wise, that's a one horse race league, same with Bayern Munich.
 
For those saying he's just 23 etc, he's just signed a lengthy extension knowing fully well that money is immaterial to PSG. Essentially, he's tying himself up which isn't a great idea if he wants to move soon.
 
1. He left Pescara (Serie B) to join PSG thanks to Mister Ancelotti & Leonardo.

2. His best friends are/were Lavezzi, Sirigu, Motta, Ibra, Pastore.

3. His mentor is Thiago Motta: he has learned a lot from him and urged the club to renew his contract last season.

4. He won trophies

5. Only 4-5 clubs are able to offer a better salary package.

6. PSG is not a 'normal club' so they don't need money.

7. He wants to win the Champions League with PSG asap and leave the club after that

8. We have a new coach

So, I think he will move at the age of 25-26.
 
@Downcast - firstly did not know you was a PSG fan! secondly.. if he didn't win a CL by age of 26, would he leave? and thirdly where do you think he would go to if he was to leave?
 
1. He left Pescara (Serie B) to join PSG thanks to Mister Ancelotti & Leonardo.

2. His best friends are/were Lavezzi, Sirigu, Motta, Ibra, Pastore.

3. His mentor is Thiago Motta: he has learned a lot from him and urged the club to renew his contract last season.

4. He won trophies

5. Only 4-5 clubs are able to offer a better salary package.

6. PSG is not a 'normal club' so they don't need money.

7. He wants to win the Champions League with PSG asap and leave the club after that

8. We have a new coach

So, I think he will move at the age of 25-26.

1. Why are you numbering your sentences?
 
1. He left Pescara (Serie B) to join PSG thanks to Mister Ancelotti & Leonardo.

2. His best friends are/were Lavezzi, Sirigu, Motta, Ibra, Pastore.

3. His mentor is Thiago Motta: he has learned a lot from him and urged the club to renew his contract last season.

4. He won trophies

5. Only 4-5 clubs are able to offer a better salary package.

6. PSG is not a 'normal club' so they don't need money.

7. He wants to win the Champions League with PSG asap and leave the club after that

8. We have a new coach

So, I think he will move at the age of 25-26.
7. Why would PSG sell even after winning the CL?
 
If Verratti is wasting his career at PSG, you could('ve) say the same about Boateng and Lewandowski at Bayern, Chiellini at Juve, list could go on.
He is playing against the best in the world in the CL year in and year out, how would a move to Barca or Real change that? He would have 3 or 4 competitive games more in a whole season..wow.
Can't see at all how playing at one of the best clubs in Europe already would be "wasting his talent". If he get's bored by one-horse-racing, he can force a move, but he surely has a good chance of winning the CL at PSG.
 
I always thought Totti could've gone to a bigger club in his prime. Probably De Rossi too, but Totti was definitely talented enough to play for a top club.
 
He's still 23, I wouldn't call it 'loyal' yet. He signed a new contract and that's all. I believe this discussion would be more relevant if he's still there in 6 years.
However, if he does end up doing that, I'm not sure we can call it cowardice. Maybe he just absolutely loves being there. Maybe that's what he wants to get out of his career, being happy and stable and playing the sport he loves. It's possible that not everyone feels the obligation to "prove" themselves in other leagues.

People talking as he is playing for a relegation club. '...beeing happy and playing the sport he loves'. :lol::lol::lol:

He's playing for fecking PSG, he's certainly getting a massive paycheck there and i don't see a club in England for example which has been significantly better than PSG in the past few years.
 
Only player I would love to spend big money on, but no chance of signing him at present.
 
Dream midfield signing. Don't think Jose would but I'd love him in a three man midfield with Herrera and Pogba.

On topic - he's playing for one of the best sides in Europe earning a lot of money. Juventus wouldn't really be a step up competition wise, that's a one horse race league, same with Bayern Munich.

So basically, there is just EPL left with the 3 clubs who can afford to buy him which will be a step up from PSG.

Every player who doesn't play for Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Manchester United is wasting their career.

This is really what many of the Cafe thinks. It's so true.
 
He'll just be one of the many in Real or Barca. He's got the opportunity to become a club legend at PSG if they win the CL. It'd be much more special if he did it with them.

Actually if he leaves before that, I'd argue his time there would've been a bit of a waste. I'd regret it a bit, if I were him.
 
I don't see it as being so bad playing there at the moment. He gets to develop his game in relative freedom but still gets to test himself against top opposition in Europe. If hes still there in a few years time then yes it will be a big waste, he needs to move to Spain or England.
 
PSG have a decent chance of winning the champions league and they scoop their domestic title every year. He's surrounded by other very good players there. If he stays his entire career he will have loads of winner medals and have played with and against top quality players. I don't understand how that is wasting his career - it isn't like he's just disappeared off to China or Qatar for big bucks.

I wonder if Italian fans thought the same of our better players like Giggs in the 90s when the premier league wasn't anything special and all the best players were in Italy.
 
People talking as he is playing for a relegation club. '...beeing happy and playing the sport he loves'. :lol::lol::lol:

He's playing for fecking PSG, he's certainly getting a massive paycheck there and i don't see a club in England for example which has been significantly better than PSG in the past few years.
The OP is mainly talking about the league he's playing in, not the club. I don't believe the French league is as weak as people think it is on here, but it goes without saying that it isn't as competitive or globally-attractive as the PL or La Liga. This is all known so I shouldn't have to explain this. The question was whether it's cowardly to stay in that league.
Once you're done overreacting you'll actually find that I'm supporting your point.
 
He's 23, he's earning good money and he's winning trophies. Soon enough PSG will be winning trophies in Europe too. Ok the French league is a one horse race. Having said that, so was the EPL during the early 90s.