Arsenal join race for Ligue 1 midfield ace: Why Emery needs to get this done

Arsenal are ready to make a move to sign PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot this summer; it has been claimed.

According to Daily Star, Arsenal could move ahead of Manchester United in the race to sign Adrien Rabiot. The Frenchman will be available on a free transfer at the end of the season, having failed to crack the first-team under Thomas Tuchel at PSG.

It is believed that Arsenal may have the upper hand over United in the chase, should they qualify for the Champions League next season.

Adrien Rabiot: A perfect signing for Emery

Arsenal will be in need of midfield reinforcements this summer following the pending departure of Aaron Ramsey. The Welshman will depart Emirates after the season ends, having already signed an agreement with Juventus.

Ramsey’s departure will create a gaping hole in the Arsenal midfield, especially with Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira struggling with consistency. Even if they manage to put in better displays next season, Emery will be lacking depth with Guendouzi the other option who has to step up come August.  Hence, the addition of someone like Rabiot could serve as a breath of fresh air for the Arsenal supporters as well as the coach.

The Frenchman is highly regarded as one of Ligue 1’s best midfielders, thanks to his all-round gameplay in the middle of the park. Rabiot is adept at circulating possession and helps his team dominate the proceedings by using his excellent passing range. He has attained an excellent pass completion rate of 93% – which is significantly higher than any other Arsenal player this season.

He can launch long and accurate diagonal balls, which becomes useful when changing flanks and catching the opposition with less protection on that flank. In addition, he can make driving runs into the final third and has an eye for that defence-threading through pass.

However, Rabiot is most effective without the ball when his tenacity and willingness to win back possession for his team helps him become more vigilant in midfield. The Frenchman has averaged 2.5 tackles per game this season, which is more than Torreira. He is a decent reader of the game as well, having made 0.7 interceptions per game.

Rabiot is also an excellent athlete and given his vast experience at the highest level of football, he is unlikely to take much time to settle into life in the Premier League. And at the age of 24, he will be able to provide a long-term solution for their midfield woes.

But most importantly, Rabiot will be available for free, which bodes well for Arsenal considering that they might end up having to operate with a meagre £40 million budget this summer.

Stat courtesy: Whoscored