Man Utd boosted in pursuit of ‘world class’ Serie A star as Ratcliffe dreams of bargain deal

Man-Utd-target-Rabiot

Manchester United have been handed a boost in pursuit of one of their long-term targets as the player has dropped a fresh hint over his future.

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe keen to overhaul the Man Utd squad in the summer, the Red Devils are gearing themselves up for a busy summer transfer window.

One key position that the club is looking to strengthen is central midfield. It seems unlikely that Sofyan Amrabat will sign on a permanent basis and the long-term future of Casemiro remains up in the air.

With that in mind, Man Utd have been looking at Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot as a potential option to sign in the summer.

The Frenchman is out of contract in Italy at the end of the season and Rabiot himself recently hinted that he could be on the move this summer, especially if Juventus don’t qualify for the Champions League.

“I remained because I wanted to remain, to help this team get back into the Champions League…even if I am not here next season,” Rabiot told Sky Sports following Juventus’ recent goalless draw against Torino.

“If we achieve that objective, then we will sit down and talk about it [my future]. That would certainly be better from my point of view, but we still have to discuss it.”

Rabiot seems relaxed about the whole situation and he’ll no doubt be aware of the interest from Man Utd which won’t be going away any time soon.

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Rabiot would be a good addition

Providing he doesn’t extend his contract with Juventus, Rabiot would be available on a free transfer. He found himself in a similar situation last summer, but following months of speculation, he eventually penned a one-year extension with Juventus.

Man Utd had been in discussions with Rabiot’s agent last summer, but a deal didn’t materialise in the end. However, fast forward to 2024 and the deal could be on once again.

According to CalcioMercato, the Italian giants could make the decision to allow Rabiot to leave on a free transfer this summer. This is reportedly because the Frenchman’s salary demands have been deemed ‘too high’ by the Bianconeri.

Both Man Utd and Newcastle are said to be among the clubs who have ‘made contact’ with Rabiot’s entourage over a potential switch to the Premier League in the summer.

In Serie A this season, Rabiot has made 26 appearances and has chipped in with seven goal contributions. He also wins an average of 1.7 tackles and takes 1.2 shots per game.

Last season, former Juventus forward David Trezeguet described the French midfielder as ‘world class’ as he told Sky Italia: “He is world class. An extraordinary player.”

Given he’s likely to be available on a free transfer at the end of the season, it’s easy to see why a club like Man Utd would be interested in his services.