Juventus Transfer News: Last-Minute Bid for PSG Star Adrien Rabiot Rumoured
August 16, 2018
Juventus are reportedly poised to make a last-gasp offer to sign Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot before Serie A's summer transfer window closes on Friday.
Calciomercato.com reported the Bianconeri are ready to make a bid for Rabiot, whose contract at the Parc des Princes expires next summer, meaning this window could be PSG's last chance to make money from his sale.
Barcelona are also rumoured to be interested in Rabiot, and La Liga's transfer window allows them to make signings until August 31. However, Juve's urgency in Italy means they could force their move to complete a deadline-day deal.
French football writer Jeremy Smith cited L'Equipe, which reported Rabiot isn't in a dispute over money and simply has the motivation to move elsewhere after eight years in the PSG setup:
Jeremy Smith @jeremysmith98.@lequipe reporting that Adrien Rabiot rejected another improved PSG offer a few days ago. Apparently not a money issue - he just wants to go elsewhere. But club don't want to sell, willing to let his contract run down, leave him on the bench and let him go for free next summer.
Football Italia also cited the French newspaper and added Rabiot is willing to run down the final year of his contract in Paris and leave for Turin next summer, in a move similar to Emre Can's departure from Liverpool in June.
The 23-year-old is rated as a highly promising part of the France setup and narrowly missed out on a place in Didier Deschamps' 2018 FIFA World Cup squad. Unfortunately, he also displayed some of the attitude concerns he's gained a reputation for by refusing a place on the champions' standby list, per BBC Sport.
Rabiot's mother, Veronique, acts as his agent and has gained some infamy for disrupting his dealings with the club. Goal's Robin Bairner profiled his parent's approach to matters such as contract affairs in 2014, and journalist Jonathan Johnson provided a more recent reminder last summer:
It's difficult to tell what chances Juventus genuinely have in prising him from Paris, as he could simply be posturing for better terms.
He made a record 50 appearances for his club in 2017-18, and WhoScored.com has since recognised him as one of the elite passing forces in France:
It was only last summer that the Bianconeri agreed to sign Blaise Matuidi from Les Parisiens, and La Stampa (h/t Calciomercato) reported PSG are asking for a €20 million (£18 million) fee.
Crucially perhaps, Smith not long ago said Rabiot had support from PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi, but whether that remains the case is unknown:
Jeremy Smith @jeremysmith98.@lequipe reporting that PSG and Rabiot may be heading for another contract dispute. The Rabiots aren't happy with the latest offer. Some at PSG beginning to get annoyed with him. But El-Khelaifi still supports him, doesn't want him to leave. Barcelona still interested though.
It would be considered a major coup if Rabiot were to complete a move to the Serie A champions so swiftly after movement has been so slow this window, but Juve's limited opening leaves a question mark on the deal.