Reports: Manchester United turn their attention to long-term favorite
Manchester United have reportedly approached Juventus for Adrien Rabiot, according to latest reports from the Athletic.
The 28-year-old, whose contract with the Old Lady expires at the end of June, has reemerged as a target for the Red Devils, in an all-hands-on-deck approach towards rebuilding their midfield.
Towards the back end of his Paris Saint-Germain career and ever since the Juventus chapter began, Rabiot has been linked heavily with a move to Old Trafford, and it seems now is the best chance for the Premier League giants to acquire their long standing favourite.
The bargain value, Juventus’ position on and off the field and a player at the peak of his powers – all form a collection of factors that could bring this deal to fruition. Last summer, United pulled the plug on a £15m offer due to the high wage demands from his agent, after which Rabiot admitted “At this moment I feel good, but I don’t know what’s going to happen. The important thing is to give 100 per cent, then we’ll see what happens. I’ll talk to the club, but right now there are more important things to think about.”
In a season to forget, Rabiot would enjoy his most prolific season in front of goal, notching 11 tallies across all competitions – the first time he’s hit double figures in his senior career – as Juventus slumped to seventh place in the Serie A table.
Besides his goalscoring refinement, the Frenchman has also consistently upgraded his defensive work in midfield, with a greater understanding of decision-making in either box. His form for the national team has been a breath of fresh air in an already stacked France roster.
As it stands, Erik ten Hag and co. stand a chance to lure him to Manchester for free. It’s been a transfer window headlined by PL’s midfielders – from Moises Caicedo and Mason Mount to Declan Rice.
United have seen three bids rejected for Mount from Chelsea, and are monitoring £80m-valued Caicedo.
The first week of July could prove to be crucial for the Mount deal, which hangs in the balance as Manchester United are unlikely to increase the transfer fee bid. However, with personal terms agreed and Chelsea understood to make room for negotiations, a resolution for both parties looks the most likely outcome.
From both Mount and Rabiot’s perspectives, the players will want to secure their future before pre-season begins in the second week of July.
-Roy Akarshak
Twitter: @RoyAkarshak
Photo: Ben Sutherland. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.