Manchester United have joined the race to sign PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot; it has been claimed.
According to The Sun, the Red Devils are ready to challenge their Premier League rivals in Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the pursuit of the PSG midfielder as they look to bulk up their midfield options.
It is believed that Rabiot is likely to leave PSG in the summer, after refusing to agree to a new contract at the club and with his current contract expiring at the end of the campaign, the Frenchman could be available on a free transfer.
Adrien Rabiot: An ideal player for Manchester United
After enjoying a rich vein of form under Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer, Manchester United will certainly be pushing for the Premier League title next season.
But having said that, the Red Devils still need reinforcements in the upcoming summer transfer window, especially in the midfield department, where the team has often appeared overreliant on the services of Paul Pogba.
They also lack the presence of a bonafide leader in midfield, especially with Nemanja Matic struggling with form, which, in turn, has forced Solskjaer to rely on the young Scott McTominay, at times.
Rabiot, to that end, could prove to be an excellent solution as the Frenchman is equipped with a certain set of traits that could certainly help him thrive at Old Trafford next season.
For one, the Frenchman is an extremely talented technical midfielder, who is proficient when it comes to circulating possession and raising the tempo of the game with intricate passes in the middle third of the pitch. He has attained a remarkable pass completion rate of 93% this season,
This could help take some pressure off of Pogba, who is mainly responsible for completing United’s transition as well as acting as the ball-carrier in the midfield.
Furthermore, Rabiot is an aggressive operator in midfield, whose willingness to press the opposition goes hand in hand with the attacking game United have embraced under Solskjaer this season.
But, at the same time, the 23-year-old can also offer the necessary defensive cover for the backline with his excellent positioning and sharp tackles. The Frenchman has averaged 2.5 tackles per game this season with a success rate of 92% while his tally of 0.7 interceptions per game isn’t a bad reading either.
And at the age of 23, Rabiot certainly has time on his side and will be a prudent long-term investment for Manchester United as they aim to pose a strong threat for the title next season.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored