Football followers know him very well. In the early 2010s, Adel Taarabt shone and was talked about in the Championship with QPR. The Moroccan international, whose sensational dribbling compilations lit up Youtube, was a widely followed player. At the time of the takeover of PSG by Qatar, the 21-year-old midfielder was courted. The Qataris wanted a player of Arab origin to make him the symbol of the new project. In an interview for colinterviewthe Moroccan returned to this transfer which never succeeded.
“After my year with QPR, I have to sign at PSG. I must be Qatar’s first recruit. My agent calls me and offers me the project. I say okay. I take the first plane to meet the Sheikh. He explains to me that I am the first Arab player he wants, but explains to me that the transfer will take time, because Leonardo must arrive first. Leonardo calls me when he arrives, but I feel that he is not warm. I call my agent and I explain to him that I do not feel it. Leonardo tells my agent that paying 12 million for a player who has only played one season in the Championship is not nothing. So I’m in trouble, because I told QPR that I was leaving when I was captain. Nasser Al-Khelaifi comes to London to reassure me and say that it will happen. But in the end, Leonardo blew the deal. He said I was expensive, but he finally takes Verratti who is in Serie B for more than me and Pastore for 42 million. He didn’t want me.”
