Underperforming Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot could depart Serie A in the coming months to link up with Manchester United. As reported by Calciomercato, new Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag sees the Frenchman as a potential long-term replacement for outgoing Paul Pogba.
After an underwhelming six-year spell at Old Trafford, Pogba is on his way out of Manchester. With his contract running out later in June, the 29-year-old could return to Juventus as a free agent.
The record-time Serie A champions are keen on re-signing the World Cup winner. Massimiliano Allegri is familiar with Pogba’s qualities. He now wants to reunite with the player he helped become one of Europe’s most highly-rated midfielders.
And while one Frenchman is on the verge of departing Man United, another could fill the void. Rabiot has failed to live up to the billing in Turin since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019.
But despite his sub-par performance at the Allianz Arena, his skills are still in high demand. Ten Hag believes Rabiot could be a good fit for his tactical set-up.
Man United have already laid the foundation for Frenkie de Jong’s switch from Barcelona. However, the Dutch manager wants to add another midfielder this summer. That’s due to Nemanja Matic’s impending move to Roma.
Juventus are reportedly open to selling Rabiot. The Italians have named an affordable €20m price tag for the 27-year-old. Based on United’s lucrative spending sprees, they should have no problem meeting Juve’s asking price.
Our take on Rabiot’s situation at Juventus
It took Rabiot two years to find his feet in Serie A following an impressive spell at PSG. Last season, the France international racked up 32 league appearances under Allegri.
He was, in fact, one of Juventus’ most consistent midfielders in the second half of 2021/22. Yet, a lack of end product was plain for everyone to see.
Rabiot failed to hit the target and delivered just two assists. That’s not what Allegri expected from one of his first-team regulars. So it’s unsurprising that Juventus are ready to offload him this summer.