Everton are reportedly eyeing a move for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, who is currently unhappy at the Italian club.
It has been claimed that the Frenchman is on a strike after to Juventus reduced the salaries of its players due to the Covid19 pandemic.
TuttoJuve have reported that the 25-year-old is a target for his former PSG manager Carlo Ancelotti, for a fee of around £18 million.
The Toffees manager gave Rabiot his debut when he was in charge of PSG, and he has now reportedly spoken to Rabiot’s mother — his agent — about a move to Goodison Park.
Rabiot had moved to Juventus just last year after his contract with the French club expired. In his first season at Juventus, he has made 24 appearances, 16 of those being starts. His current deal with the club only expires in 2023.
Adrien Rabiot to Everton – A smashing move by Ancelotti
Rabiot is a great distributor of the ball from midfield, and often keeps the ball moving in midfield. In the 2019-20 Serie A season, Rabiot had a pass completion of 91% per game.
The midfielder is also a tenacious tackler, averaging 1.5 tackles per game in the Italian league and 1.2 interceptions per game.
The Frenchman is very good in the air, thanks to his 6’2″ frame. Rabiot also likes to drive forward with the ball from one half to the other, making him a complete central midfielder who can pass, tackle, and dribble as well.
Everton need to shore up their midfield ahead of the 2020-21 season, as they currently lack quality players in the middle of the park. Ancelotti has had to deal with injuries to key midfielders, including Andre Gomes and Jean-Philippe Gbamin.
Fabian Delph, who was signed from Manchester City last year, hasn’t been at his best, and has also had injuries to contend with.
A player like Rabiot would be perfect in the middle of the park and he could play alongside Gomes, or even in a midfield three.
The Frenchman is only 25 years of age but has played over 260 games in club football, and is an experienced figure who would add quality, depth and tenacity to the Toffees midfield and squad.