Having just got rid of one troublesome Frenchman, Manchester United could be about to lumber themselves with another.
The departure of Paul Pogba and others over the summer has really left the cupboard bare for new manager Erik ten Hag when it comes to midfield options.
With United no closer in their efforts to extract Frenkie de Jong – the Ten Hag’s No 1 transfer target – from Barcelona, they have turned to Juventus outcast Adrien Rabiot, who is available for £15million.
Rabiot, 27, isn’t especially popular at Juventus and hasn’t reproduced the form that established his reputation during the seven years at Paris Saint-Germain that preceded it. But it isn’t just on-field lethargy that has tarnished the reputation of a player once considered France’s golden boy. Off-field rows and indiscretions – not only by Rabiot himself but also his formidable mother and agent Veronique – have given him a reputation within the game of being a tricky customer. But Ten Hag and United are increasingly desperate. Although the club insist their interest in Rabiot was firm prior to Sunday’s season-opening defeat to Brighton, the timing still makes it appear like a reactionary move.
Credit: dailymail.co.uk
