Real Madrid have reportedly reached a verbal agreement to sign French midfielder Adrien Rabiot when his contract expires with PSG at the end of the season.
As per a report from French TV channel Canal+, as carried by Spanish publication AS, La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid have arrived at an agreement to sign Adrien Rabiot on a free transfer in the summer, once his contract with current club PSG runs down.
Rabiot has been on PSG’s books since 2010 and has gone on to make over 200 appearances for the French champions, since breaking into the first-team back in 2012. The 24-year-old has scored 24 goals and assisted 17 more, on his way to winning five Ligue 1 titles, along with numerous other domestic honours.
However, Rabiot hasn’t taken the field for Les Parisiens since December last year, after he failed to agree a new contract with the club. Furthermore, the midfielder has been suspended by the club and is facing further disciplinary actions, after he was pictured in a nightclub post PSG’s Champions League exit at the hands of Manchester United.
With his deal running out in a matter of months, an exit from PSG for Rabiot is set in stone. And the possibility of signing a young and talented midfielder with plenty of experience at the top level has piqued the interest of a number of clubs across Europe.
Barcelona were believed to be leading the chase to sign him at one point, but since then they have signed Frenkie de Jong from Ajax and are unlikely to pursue Rabiot’s signature. Along with the Catalans, there has been a lot of interest in signing Rabiot from Premier League with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur all linked at some point.
However, all of Rabiot’s suitors have been dealt a setback, with the aforementioned report claiming that Real Madrid have swooped in and already have reached a verbal agreement with the player to sign him once his current deal expires.
Real Madrid’s interest in the 24-year-old Frenchman came to light last month, with Zinedine Zidane back at the helm of things. The Merengues’ manager is believed to be a huge admirer of his compatriot’s quality and technical ability and has identified him as a potential addition to the ranks as he plans a summer overhaul.
Judging by recent performances, the Real Madrid midfield could definitely use injection of some fresh blood heading into the next season. Luka Modric has looked a pale shadow of himself from last year while Toni Kroos and Casemiro have also fallen way below their usual standards, as was witnessed in Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Valencia earlier this week.
With Real Madrid reportedly reaching an agreement with Rabiot, they seemingly have pulled off a big coup. Given the 24-year-old’s talents and the experience of playing for a big club, they will have signed a quality player with his best years ahead of him, at no cost.
