Arsenal have been dealt a huge blow in their chase for Adrien Rabiot, after it was reported that the French midfielder has agreed a pre contract agreement with Italian side AS Roma.
The Gunners have been chasing the young wonderkid for an extended period of time, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season. There were hopes that the north London club could capture him for a cut price fee in January, but there was always a risk that the youngster could agree a deal with another club before then.
And if the news about the pre contract is accurate, then that means that Arsenal have lost the race for the highly rated French youngster. Chelsea, United and Arsenal were all trying to land Rabiot’s signature, but Roma’s offer has caught all of them by surprise.
Roma boss Rudi Garcia is known to be a big fan of the midfielder, and it is thought that they might have agreed to pay him £4 million a year, which is the same amount he has been demanding from Paris Saint Germain.
PSG boss Laurent Blanc:
I believe he will leave, but I can’t tell you where.
Don't Miss:
- [Team news] Arsenal line up vs Benfica – Odegaard out and Partey fit
- Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote’s bid to takeover Arsenal ‘edging closer’
- [Player ratings] Arsenal 0-1 Man City: Painfully early error inflicts defeat
Rabiot has received a good offer from PSG but apparently it doesn’t interest him. It’s a shame.
It remains to be seen whether the starlet is worth the significant sums of money being discussed, and could represent a significant gamble for Roma – especially considering he’s made just 31 appearances for PSG.
However, as far as Arsenal are concerned, it is back to the drawing board to find other targets for the January window. Potential names include Aston Villa man Fabian Delph and William Carvalho, who Arsenal failed to buy in the recently concluded window.
COMMENTS