ITALY
Premier League clubs line up for Rabiot, the bargain of the summer
The Frenchman is still without a club, despite being approached by Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. Meanwhile, the Premier League is bidding hard for him.
With just a few weeks left of the transfer window, Adrien Rabiot is still looking for a new club. The French midfielder has been a free agent since his contract with Juventus expired in June. Since then, he been inundated with offers throughout the summer. Nevertheless, his future remains a mystery.
Spain’s top clubs rule out Rabiot raid
According to AS, both Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid sounded out the possibility of signing Rabiot, but both ended up deciding not to pursue him. It will be the player’s mother Véronique Rabiot who will determine the next step in Adrien’s career. She gave an update on the lie of the land.
“I do speak to certain clubs, but then some media outlets attribute me with having contact with clubs that I haven’t spoken to... So I guess others know more about it that I do. Since the start of Adrien’s career, I am the only person who deals with clubs. If a club has any interest, they have to speak to me directly,” the matriarch said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.
At 29, Rabiot is on the shortlist of some of Europe’s top clubs - and for good reason. An indispensable player for Max Allegri’s Juventus, the Vecchia Signora tried to convince him to accept a new contract worth seven million euros per season. The Italians did everything they could to keep the France international but it’s clear that Rabiot is looking for new objectives, and a new chapter in his career.
Several Premier League clubs are interested. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal were considering him as an alternative to Mikel Merino, but ended up backing out. Meanwhile, Manchester United and Liverpool are believed to be holding informal talks to find out about his availability. It has been established that the player would favor a move to Old Trafford over Anfield.
There is always a level of interest when a free agent is up for grabs. In a less lively market than usual, Rabiot will certainly be one of the names in the spotlight at the end of August.