Adrien Rabiot still chasing Barcelona deal following PSG comeback
Adrien Rabiot is still going after a summer move to Barcelona
Adrien Rabiot’s mother and agent, Veronique Rabiot, had reached an agreement over a summer move to Barcelona before the January transfer window. But the club signed Frenkie de Jong for an astronomical figure of €75 million before finalising the deal with Rabiot.
Since then, clubs like Tottenham and Liverpool have entered the race for Rabiot’s signature. But it is clear that the 23-year old French defensive midfielder has his heart set on a move to Barça. He still believes that the club will return for him after having sealed the signing of De Jong from Ajax.
Initially after the confirmation of the signing of the young Netherlands international, the midfield was looking set for the future. But now, Barça’s decision to reject Ivan Rakitić’s request for a new contract probably means that the Croatian playmaker is on his way out of the Camp Nou.
As bad as that decision may be, the offers for Rakitić will start flooding in soon, with Paris Saint-Germain among the suitors. In the likely case of his departure, the club will need to bring in a midfielder to ensure depth. That player could turn out out to be Adrien Rabiot.
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Barça would simply need to revive the old agreement, which had the final details of his salary, signing bonus and role in the squad. There would be no need for a transfer fee, since his current deal runs out at the end of the season.
But the club is hesitant to bring in Rabiot. His attitude is simply unprofessional, and constant interference from his mother can lead to issues off the pitch. Moreover, Rabiot can cause unrest in a dressing room which is renowned for its harmony and lack of conflict.
The young playmaker is among the most exciting prospects in Europe. He has even made a comeback at PSG, making it back into the plans of Thomas Tuchel after being frozen out of the squad mid-season for dissent.
But for now, Barça are likely to compromise due to the inexpensiveness of this deal. The club could quickly snap up one of the brightest young players in Europe, with no regard for the long-term consequences.
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Of course, Rabiot could be offloaded later for a profit. In short, Barça could sign him as a short-term replacement for Rakitić until Riqui Puig is good enough to earn a call-up to the first-team squad, taking advantage of Rabiot’s desire to play at the Camp Nou.