Manchester United has reportedly revived their interest in signing Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the month.
According to Corriere dello Sport (page 11), United had previously shown a strong desire to sign the Frenchman last summer, having reached an agreement on a £15 million fee with Juventus.
However, negotiations on personal terms fell through. Since then, Rabiot has had an impressive season with the Italian giants, contributing 11 goals and six assists in 47 appearances.
The 28-year-old was also part of the French national team that reached the World Cup final. The latest reports indicate that United has intensified its pursuit of the midfielder, who will become a free agent in the coming month.
However, they face competition as Newcastle United is also said to be interested, while Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich is pushing to secure his signature on a free transfer.
Manager Erik Ten Hag has made Mason Mount his priority target for United, with personal terms already agreed upon. However, the club still needs to finalize a transfer fee with Chelsea for the 24-year-old midfielder.
Currently, there is a significant £30 million difference in valuation between the two clubs. Nevertheless, as Mount enters the final year of his contract, an agreement could be reached soon.
In the event of a breakdown in negotiations for Mount, Adrien Rabiot could serve as a fallback option for United. The Frenchman has shown significant improvement compared to the previous season.
Rabiot has contributed to 17 goals for Juventus and has impressed defensively, winning two tackles and nearly six duels per game. He is currently experiencing the best phase of his career.
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While signing Rabiot on a free transfer would be a straightforward decision, potential issues with personal terms may arise once again. United had previously declined to meet his £160,000-a-week demands during the previous summer transfer window.
This time around, Rabiot could seek a much higher salary. The free-agent might easily demand £200,000 per week along with a substantial signing-on fee to move to Old Trafford.
