Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot is courting interest from Manchester United with his contract due to expire next month, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
The France international has been a key player for the Bianconeri this term, registering five goals and three assists from 34 appearances in all competitions.
The Serie A outfit are said to be keen on negotiating a fresh deal after their Champions League qualification and Coppa Italia success, but Rabiot has yet to respond.
The club’s hierarchy have not given up on a renewal, but Gazzetta dello Sport (page 6) claim that Rabiot is courting interest from both United and Bayern Munich.
The Paris Saint-Germain graduate was much fancied to join United in the summer of 2022.
Manager Erik ten Hag personally called to convince him over a transfer. A fee was agreed with the Bianconeri, but the deal broke down due to differences in personal terms.
Rabiot was eyeing €10m per year to sign a long-term contract with the Red Devils, but the hierarchy were reluctant to offer more than €7m – his existing annual salary at Juventus.
The Coppa Italia winner ended up staying with the Turin giants where he has transformed his fortunes.
Rabiot is now considered as an undisputed starter for the Bianconeri. In our opinion, the ongoing speculation with United could be agent-driven to secure an improved contract.
Ten Hag may have been interested in signing Rabiot two years ago, but the new board under Sir Jim Ratcliffe are unlikely to sanction a deal for a player, who is already 29 years of age.
The €40 million-rated star would also demand a huge signing-on fee on top of his contract. It would be a wrong move for United, considering he could be past his prime in one or two seasons’ time.
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