FC Barcelona have reportedly agreed personal terms with PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot, who could cost them €40 million.
Barcelona are on the verge of completing their third transfer this summer with Adrien Rabiot closing in on a move to Camp Nou. As reported by Diario Sport, the Catalans have agreed personal terms with the PSG midfielder and the transfer could cost them around €40 million.
Mundo Deportivo claimed last week that Barcelona’s general manager Pep Segura and technical secretary Eric Abidal have met with PSG officials to arrange a potential deal. And should the recent report from Diario Sport appear to be true, the transfer could be officiated imminently.
The Catalan giants were poised to undergo a midfield overhaul this summer. But, following a cautious approach in the first couple of weeks of July, the Blaugrana have come out all guns blazing, having secured the services of Clement Lenglet and Arthur Melo.
However, Barcelona have also had to deal with the departure of star midfielder Paulinho last week. The Brazilian sensation made a shock exit to rejoin Guangzhou Evergrande in a loan deal, which took Barcelona fans by surprise.
Thus, the addition of Adrien Rabiot seems like a fairly prudent move from Barcelona’s point of view. Although the Frenchman has endured a testing time in recent months, he is still regarded as one of the most promising midfielders in the world.
It was reported that the former Toulouse midfielder wanted parity with star midfielder and another Barcelona target Marco Verratti in terms of wage. But, his talks with PSG regarding a new deal stalled, ultimately leading to a series of transfer speculation with Barcelona almost on the verge of securing his services now.
Later, the 23-year-old was also omitted from France’s squad for the World Cup, which was a huge blow for Rabiot on a personal level. And thus, he will be desperate to prove his credentials at Barcelona next season.
From a pure sporting perspective, the acquisition of the highly talented midfielder could be a boon for the Catalan giants as they aim to make an impression in Europe next season. The French international is blessed with superb ball-playing qualities which definitely tunes well with Barcelona’s own style of play.
The player’s qualities provide Ernesto Valverde several options if he decides to switch between his two preferred formations – the 4-4-2 and the 4-3-3.
Following the retirement of Andres Iniesta and the exit of Paulinho, the onus will be on the newcomers to fill into their void in midfield next season. But, it remains to be seen if Barcelona opt to make further acquisitions during the remainder of the ongoing summer transfer window, provided they end up signing Rabiot.
