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Barcelona want a young defensive midfielder this summer

By Chiranjib Ghosh

CAEN, FRANCE - MAY 19: Adrien Rabiot of Paris Saint Germain during the French League 1 match between Caen v Paris Saint Germain at the Stade Michel d Ornano on May 19, 2018 in Caen France (Photo by Erwin Spek/Soccrates/Getty Images)
CAEN, FRANCE - MAY 19: Adrien Rabiot of Paris Saint Germain during the French League 1 match between Caen v Paris Saint Germain at the Stade Michel d Ornano on May 19, 2018 in Caen France (Photo by Erwin Spek/Soccrates/Getty Images) /
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Éric Abidal wants a defensive midfielder to reinforce the squad

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – FEBRUARY 4: Frenkie de Jong of Ajax during the Dutch Eredivisie match between Ajax v NAC Breda at the Johan Cruijff Arena on February 4, 2018 in Amsterdam Netherlands (Photo by Erwin Spek/Soccrates/Getty Images)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – FEBRUARY 4: Frenkie de Jong of Ajax during the Dutch Eredivisie match between Ajax v NAC Breda at the Johan Cruijff Arena on February 4, 2018 in Amsterdam Netherlands (Photo by Erwin Spek/Soccrates/Getty Images) /

After completing his first signing as Barcelona technical secretary, Éric Abidal is looking at yet another midfielder to reinforce the squad. The former left-back has shortlisted two options, both of whom are similar with respect to their age and potential.

Even though Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars refused to negotiate for Frenkie de Jong the last time the club approached him, Abidal has retained interest in the 21-year old Dutch midfielder. The youngster’s versatility makes him an utility player for Ernesto Valverde.

Adrien Rabiot has just one year left on his contract at Paris Saint-Germain. His can leave for free next summer and that gives other clubs leverage over PSG. Club scouts have been monitoring his progress for a long time, and Abidal might go after his compatriot.

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While Frenkie de Jong is younger and far more versatile, Adrien Rabiot’s style of play is suited to that of Barcelona. The club is looking for a long-term successor to Sergio Busquets, and both players fit the bill perfectly.

But here, the financial factor also comes in. Frenkie de Jong is unproven on the European stage, and is relatively inexperienced. Ajax are demanding a fee in the region of €50 million, and they have been quite inflexible about their asking price.

On the other hand, Adrien Rabiot is a proven talent, and a regular in the France national team, despite missing out on the World Cup in Russia. He has done well in the Champions League, and despite being 2 years older than De Jong, has a lot of potential.

Due to his situation at Paris Saint-Germain, the club could sign Rabiot for a fee much lesser than his market value. But PSG have a reputation for being hard negotiators, and with the history between the two clubs regarding Neymar, the club will still need to pay a significant fee.

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At this point in time, Adrien Rabiot is the safer investment and Éric Abidal should go for him to reinforce the squad’s midfield.

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