Al-Ittihad are reportedly willing to make a sensational move to bring Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Marquinhos to Saudi Arabia.
According to Saudi newspaper Arriyadiyah, Al-Ittihad are planning to hold talks with Paris Saint-Germain over Marquinhos this summer after they were given the green light from manager Nuno Santo to search for a new defender.
This comes after the uncertainty over the return date of their towering defender Ahmed Hegazi, who ruptured his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) two months ago.
Santo has reportedly asked the club to terminate the player’s contract and sign another high-profile defender as he fears the 32-year-old will not play at the required level upon his return next year.
The report also added that Al-Ittihad remain confident in their attempts to sign Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah after recent news suggested that he agreed personal terms with the Tigers.
It remains to be seen whether Paris Saint-Germain will allow Marquinhos to leave after Neymar recently completed his £86 million move to Al-Hilal.
Marquinhos also has a contract that runs until the summer of 2028 and Al-Ittihad may have to pay a staggering fee of over £50 million to acquire his services.
The former AS Roma man has been regarded as one of the best defenders in Europe in recent years for his commitment and versatility.
With over 400 appearances for the club, the skipper has won numerous championships including eight Ligue 1 titles while scoring 38 goals in total.
He could be joining a number of elite players this summer as Al-Ittihad have already acquired Jota, Fabinho, N’Golo Kanté, and Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema after spending around £73 million in the process.
The champions started their Saudi Pro League title defence last week with a dominant 3-0 victory over Al-Raed away from home.