Arsenal are keeping tabs on soon-to-be-free agent PSG star Adrien Rabiot, who is also being tailed by several other top European clubs including Barcelona.
According to The Mirror, Arsenal are keeping tabs on PSG playmaker Adrien Rabiot, who will be testing the Bosman agency in the summer. The player is also on the radar of Liverpool, Tottenham and other clubs while there are rumours of him agreeing personal terms with Barcelona.
Adrien Rabiot has been a victim of his own desires. The playmaker built up quite a reputation as a midfielder at Paris Saint-Germain. But, his refusal to commit to a new deal along with an intent to push for a move to another club saw him being cut off from the PSG first-team altogether, something manager Thomas Tuchel did not want.
Barcelona have been long touted as the future destination for Rabiot. The player reportedly agreed personal terms with the club. But, the Catalan giants have since agreed a deal with Ajax for Frenkie de Jong, who will join Barcelona in the summer, which places doubts on them being as desperate to sign Rabiot now.
Arsenal, on the other hand, have enough central midfielders in their squad, especially after they spent on Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira in the summer. Granit Xhaka has proven himself worthy of a place but the Arsenal squad still seems to be lacking the elite mentality, as they say.
Despite a mammoth 23-game unbeaten run, Arsenal find themselves sixth on the Premier League table, with even the once-struggling Manchester United passing them by after the weekend results. The club seems to be holding out on Unai Emery in the transfer market as well, with the manager resigned to deal in loans for January as Denis Suarez was brought in from Barcelona on a six-month loan.
Although Denis Suarez could become a permanent addition come summer, Arsenal still want to add Rabiot to their squad, with the caveat of no transfer fee a massive attraction. And the club feel like they have the edge over other suitors.
Barcelona might not be too pushed to sign Rabiot after the de Jong deal while the Gunners can provide a guarantee for regular game time, something he might not get with other suitors. Another important advantage is the presence of Emery at the helm at Emirates.
The manager was reportedly fond of Rabiot during his tenure as PSG boss and the player seems to have the same respect for Emery and his tactical nous. Having already worked under him, Rabiot could prefer to go to Arsenal rather than other Premier League clubs as he might want to play under someone who knows him, especially when wandering into a new league and a new country.
How the Rabiot story pans out depends on the player himself. He could reconcile his relationship at PSG and choose to stay there, especially with the manager wanting him in the first-team and Barcelona not really prioritising him anymore. Other clubs like Arsenal though, will keep a track and are likely to attempt poaching him, should Rabiot does end up being a free agent in the summer.
