The Italian midfielder wants Raiola to help him secure a move away from PSG (Picture: Getty)

PSG midfielder Marco Verratti is set to ditch his current agent and team up with the notorious Mino Raiola instead as he bids to secure a transfer this summer, according to reports in Italy.

The Italian maestro has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona this summer, while Chelsea also retain an interest, though both clubs were told in no uncertain terms that Verratti is not for sale.

That prompted his soon-to-be-axed agent Donato di Campli to liken his situation to ‘being in prison’, a comment that went down badly with PSG’s hierarchy, forcing Verratti to apologise and further damaging his hopes of being allowed to leave.

Raiola has developed strong ties with United in the post-Ferguson era (Picture: Getty)

And now Sky Sport Italia claim he has taken the drastic step of ending his contract with Di Campli and will employ the services of Raiola instead.

The controversial agent is one of the most belligerent operators in football and has been at the heart of some of the biggest deals of recent years, including Manchester United’s humungous deals for Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku.

United spent almost £200m on Raiola clients Lukaku and Pogba in the last 12 months (Getty)
United spent almost £200m on Raiola clients Lukaku and Pogba in the last 12 months (Getty)

He is known as a master of getting his clients what they want, most recently securing a lucrative new contract for Gianluigi Donnarumma by playing hardball with AC Milan.

Raiola is considered exactly the kind of agent Verratti would need if he wants to aggressively pursue a departure from PSG, and his ties to Man United have got fans very excited.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWfHJ1NAO1g/

He has been the club’s go-to agent in recent times, with four current players represented by him – Pogba, Lukaku, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Sergio Romero – as well as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who could yet sign a new deal with the club if he proves his fitness.

With Jose Mourinho in the market for a new central midfielder this summer, United fans have been daring to dream that Raiola could bring a sixth player to Old Trafford.

To add fuel to the fire, Tuttomercatoweb are reporting that Verratti has always been the dream midfield signing for Mourinho and he has made contact about a potential switch.

One of United’s top scouts, Jose Mayorga, has spoken with the Italian’s representatives to sound him out over a possible move, while the presence of Raiola could embolden Mourinho in his pursuit of Verratti.

Verratti is new Barca boss Ernesto Valverde’s No.1 midfielder target (Picture: Getty)

The 24-year-old has established himself as one of the most complete and dominant midfielders in Europe, averaging the second-most passes per game in Ligue 1 last season, while he also scored three goals and laid on five assists.

United have built a strong relationship with Raiola in the time since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club – the Scot famously clashed with the agent over Pogba – and Ed Woodward is on especially good terms with him.

MORE : Manchester United won’t pursue Neymar deal despite talks with Jose Mourinho