Juventus refuse to increase Verratti offer

The Serie A champions risk missing out on the gifted youngster due to their reluctance to meet Pescara's demands as Paris Saint-Germain are closing in on his signature

EXCLUSIVE
By Romeo Agresti

Juventus are about to lose out on the signing of Marco Verratti from Pescara due to their refusal to increase their bid for the gifted midfielder, Goal.com understands.

VERRATTI'S 2011-12 STATS
MATCHES PLAYED MINUTES PLAYED GOALS ASSISTS	PESCARA 32 2407 0 9	ITALY U21 8 540 1 0
READ MORE ON VERRATTI

The Serie A champions were close to signing the 19-year-old, but he now appears to be on his way to Paris Saint-Germain instead after the Ligue 1 side offered €13 million for the playmaker.

A Juventus delegation consisting of Andrea Agnelli, Giuseppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici met with Pescara's senior management back in December 2011 to discuss a transfer.

Both parties had all but reached an agreement over a €3m transfer fee plus one Juventus player on loan for 50 per cent of the player's economical rights.

However, talks between both sides stalled following Verratti's impressive form in the second half of the 2011-12 season, eventually culminating in Pescara's promotion to Serie A, and a call-up to Italy's provisional Euro 2012 squad.

Pescara have since offered the midfielder to Genoa, Inter and Napoli, but Verratti only wants a move to Juventus within Italy as he dreams of playing alongside his idol Andrea Pirlo.

The Turin side had already improved their offer for the Italy Under-21 star to €4m plus two players on loan, but a transfer now seems very unlikely, given PSG's big-money offer.

Nevertheless, Juventus will not enter a bidding war for Verratti as they have told Pescara that they will not raise their offer, regardless of the Ligue 1 side's concrete interest.

Verratti could therefore very well end up at the Parc des Princes side as he considers a move abroad.