Transfer News: Juventus set to enter the final round of talks with Chelsea target Adrien Rabiot
According to Italian outlet Calciomercato (h/t Football. London), Serie A giants Juventus are set to enter the final round of talks with Chelsea target Adrien Rabiot. The Frenchman sees his current contract expire next summer.
The 27-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to the west London club, with rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur also interested in him. The Frenchman came close to joining Manchester United in the summer, but the move fell through in the end.
Rabiot has been impressive for the Old Lady so far, despite their own poor showing this season- both in the league and Europe. The Turin-based club want to keep the midfielder beyond 2023, although there is very less chance of that happening.
Now, it seems that the Italian giants are going to try one last time in hopes of keeping the midfielder for as long as possible. Should he fail to agree to a new deal, the midfielder will be free to negotiate personal terms with foreign clubs from next month.
Graham Potter seems keen to add to his midfield. The west London club have an ageing midfield with the likes of Jorginho and N’Golo Kante seeing their contracts expire next summer. Also the duo are past their 30s and past their prime.
Other players like Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have failed to prove themselves to be impressive, and as such the Blues have struggled in the middle of the park this season. A box-to-box to midfielder with attacking instincts is needed, and Rabiot fits that bill.
The Frenchman has scored five goals in 16 games in all competitions for Juventus this season, while also helping his country reach the finals of the World Cup. He could not help them cross the final huddle as they lost the game 4-2 to Argentina on penalties after it ended 3-3 in extra time.
Rabiot has shown his capabilities, both going forward and also when defending and it would be a bargain to secure his signature for free in January. If that were to happen, the midfielder would join in July and be part of the squad for the 2023/24 campaign.
More Chelsea News:
- Chelsea make progress in contract negotiations with N’Golo Kante
- Chelsea learn raised loan price for Portuguese forward Joao Felix
- Transfer News: Manchester City could target Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell
With the Old Lady likely to try everything they can to keep their midfield, it remains to be seen what the player decides. Chelsea will be wise to keep tabs on his situation and pounce straight away if any opportunity arises.