Juventus might be on the verge of extending their barren run in Serie A, yet Sunday’s game against Frosinone marks a landmark occasion for Adrien Rabiot. According to the club’s website, the 29-year-old’s 22nd league start this season saw him enter Bianconeri folklore, becoming only the fifth Frenchman to make 200 appearances for the Turin giants.
Acting as a stand-in captain in the absence of Danilo, Rabiot has been a beating heart of Massimiliano Allegri’s midfield this season. Despite relentless speculation over his long-term future at the Allianz Stadium, the ex-Paris Saint-Germain star remains a focal point of the Juventus creative contingent.
Joining prominent figures such as David Trezeguet, Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane, and Lilian Thuram perhaps best illustrates Rabiot’s household status at Juventus. Like on every other occasion this season, Allegri refused to withdraw his talisman after including him in his starting XI.
Indeed, Rabiot has been on the field all 90 minutes in each Serie A game he started this season, testifying to his significance to Allegri’s tactics. But even though he has been instrumental to Bianconeri’s top-four pursuit, his long-term prospects at Juventus are still in the balance amid a contractual standstill.
Rabiot’s deal in Turin runs out at the end of the season. Juventus are hellbent on tying him down to a new contract, but they’ve yet to find a breakthrough in extension talks. Time’s becoming a factor, and after reaching such a flattering feat, he could come to terms with the club soon.
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