PSG Bad Boy Adrien Rabiot a Potential Premier League Steal in January
Life is never quiet if you're Adrien Rabiot. The French midfielder, born and bred in Paris, has a clear career laid out before him at Paris Saint-Germain, but he seems desperate not to embark upon it.
The problems started back in 2014, when the midfielder entered the last 12 months of his deal. Heavy rumours linked him to Roma, per Goal.com, with the player even speaking of an agreed transfer with the Italian club. He wanted to play football—first-team football—and although that wouldn’t be guaranteed under Rudi Garcia, he felt he had a better shot.
But then a dramatic U-turn: PSG announced he’d signed an extension until 2019, then released a club statement informing fans that he was being groomed as a potential future captain. No guarantee of senior football was given, but it seemed as though Rabiot had been talked into waiting his turn.
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Fast-forward 12 months and he’s at it again. The Frenchman has suggested Laurent Blanc give him a Christmas present in the form of a January loan to play more football, per ESPNFC—a comment that has irritated the manager and set the ball rolling on yet more rumours linking him elsewhere.
His own fans booed him as PSG beat Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 this week, and now Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Arsenal have all been linked to the contentious midfielder, per the Sun (h/t FOX Sports). He’s been given a run in the XI in light of a Marco Verratti injury, but how long will it last?
The Player
If you’re a fan of a club that has been linked with him recently, rest assured he is a quality player. Plenty of fuss has been made over him in his short career to date, and there’s a reason why.
His recent masterclass on the UEFA Champions League stage at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid, and follow-up masterclass against Toulouse in Ligue 1, affirm his increasing maturity on the pitch and a realisation of his talents—even if, off the pitch, there’s still a lot of work to be done.
In 2014, when he was just breaking into the senior setup and poking his nose through the door, this writer caught him live in Paris against Stade de Reims. After beating Chelsea midweek, the XI was almost entirely changed—a reserve selection, if you will—and Rabiot received the chance to impress.
Despite possessing a size factor that central midfielders rarely get to boast (he’s a rangy 6’2”), he was unable to impact the game. It’s perhaps notable that Grzegorz Krychowiak, now considered one of the finest defensive midfielders in world football after his exploits with Sevilla, was busy locking down the midfield section, but Rabiot’s lack of application was a concern.
As we approach 2016, though, he looks a different player altogether. This run in the side sans Verratti has fuelled him with confidence, and now he mixes wonderful technical talent with a more committed, aggressive approach to midfield play.
His feet are fantastic; his touch is soft. He’s able to take the ball in tight areas and keep the attack turning over, either holding off markers and recycling play or surging forward. He has largely played as a No. 8 for PSG, opposite Blaise Matuidi and just ahead of Thiago Motta, which has given him license to stretch his legs and run at opposing players.
As a dribbler, he’s gifted enough to bring the ball out from deep, but he knows he’s no Andres Iniesta, who can pick the lock on even the tightest of defences. Off the ball, he harries and hurries the enemy, tracking markers and stepping into challenges more regularly. His long legs are the ideal tools for fishing the ball out from under the opposition’s watch in the most unlikely of positions.
Some Ligue 1 aficionados believe Rabiot could grow into Motta’s No. 6 role long-term should he apply himself to the learning process—much in the same way Roy Hodgson is desperate for Jack Wilshere to commit to his own vision of the Andrea Pirlo role—but patience is a virtue Rabiot (or perhaps more accurately, his mother—who is his agent) does not have.
That leaves him staring at a future as a No. 8—a crowded position at PSG due to the presence of Matuidi, Verratti and Javier Pastore—and that has prompted the comments about a January loan move. It’s undeniable Blanc and PSG are beginning to tire of his antics and demands, and perhaps a fresh start is indeed what he needs.
The Potential Deal
PSG likely wouldn’t loan him out, but a hefty fee offered for a permanent transfer may tempt them into cashing out. Premier League and Serie A sides should be circling if that’s the case, while the Bundesliga’s top order could be interested, too.
Arsenal are facing an injury crisis in the middle, and Rabiot is just the sort of player who might revive their title challenge. Long-term, he’d only further convolute a setup that struggles to accommodate Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere, but short-term he’d be a big boost.
Manchester City’s aging midfield received a dynamic boost this summer in the form of Fabian Delph, but another body might just be needed. As Yaya Toure slow-dances with decline while the party winds down, Rabiot—of similar height and potential power once he grows into his frame—could be an intriguing attempt at a swap.
Were Chelsea to sign him, it might be the final unfortunate nail in Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s career in blue— he's a player who has very similar attributes and frame, don’t forget—and if Louis van Gaal placed a bid, further worries over Ander Herrera’s future may crop up, too.
That previously agreed deal with Roma might just be the player’s best bet; with Kevin Strootman falling into the injury mire in January 2014 and struggling to recover, there’s a place for him in the Italian capital. Juventus and Internazionale should consider him, too, but Rudi Garcia’s formation (4-3-3) would get the best out of him.
PSG will be extremely reluctant to sell Rabiot due to his Paris-born status. As the club have accelerated into football’s elite and splashed the cash, a certain local identity in the side has been missing. Mamadou Sakho’s sale to Liverpool angered some fans due to the connection he fostered between club and fans, and while Rabiot’s hardly been a saint, there will still be some who wish to persevere.
But with immaturity issues showing no signs of stopping, Blanc may be resigned to cutting ties. If so, Rabiot is a chance well worth taking for top sides—even if the necessary fee hits the £20 million mark.
