Manchester United football director John Murtough is travelling to meet with Adrien Rabiot’s agent – his mother – ahead of a potential Old Trafford move for the midfielder, according to Jason Burt and Sam Wallace of The Telegraph.
The Red Devils have already agreed on a transfer fee with Juventus which is thought to be between £12.5-17 million (€15-20 million), but now need to discuss personal terms with Rabiot’s entourage. The 27-year-old, who reportedly makes around £146,000 (€172,500) per week, would usually only consider joining a team in the Champions League, but United’s stature is so large that they can overcome this barrier to sign a much-needed midfielder.
John Murtough Travelling to Meet Agent of Adrien Rabiot as Deal Accelerates
A Midfield Improvement, But Not Exactly What Fans Are After
Rabiot would certainly represent an improvement on United’s midfield situation.
Currently, the preferred pair in the middle of the park are Scott McTominay and Fred, however after their dreadful performance against Brighton and Hove Albion in Erik ten Hag’s Premier League debut, many have questioned once again if they have what it takes to start for such a prominent team. The alternatives at Old Trafford are not necessarily better, though, with Donny van de Beek, who came on against the Seagulls and made next to no impact on the game, having struggled to adapt to the English top flight since his move in the summer of 2020, and James Garner being severely inexperienced.
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Rabiot has experience playing in a deeper and more central midfield role, which would certainly help the Red Devils, and could free up whoever he ends up being partnered with to take up more attacking positions.
💪 Adrien Rabiot's statistically calculated WhoScored strengths:
🟢 Tackling
🟢 Aerial duels
🟢 Dribbling
🟢 Passing
🟢 Holding on to the ball
🟢 Blocking the ball
🟢 Ball interception
🟢 Defensive contribution pic.twitter.com/27L9RfE68i— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) August 9, 2022
Despite this, the Frenchman isn’t exactly what United fans were after. They, like the club they support, had their hearts set on Frenkie de Jong, but as the deal stalls, it is necessary for alternatives to be sought.
