Chelsea are looking to sign Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot this summer following an unsuccessful January attempt, according to reports in Italy.
The west London giants have been regularly linked with the France international over the past few weeks, and it now appears they were interested in signing him at the beginning of the year.
According to Corriere dello Sport (today’s edition, page 11), Blues boss Thomas Tuchel wanted to terminate the loan contract of Saul Niguez in January in order to bring in Rabiot.
However, the plan did not materialise. The German could not land his desired midfield target after Saul rejected the option to return to Atletico Madrid midway through the season.
Chelsea are back in the hunt for Rabiot this summer, and a separate report from Tuttosport suggests that they have the upper hand over Manchester United in the pursuit of the midfielder.
United boss Erik ten Hag is revamping his midfield after Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata all left this summer, and it appears the Dutchman is eyeing a move for Rabiot.
However, according to the report, Tuchel has already called Rabiot over a potential switch to Stamford Bridge. With his contract expiring in 12 months, Juventus are prepared to sanction his sale for around £17 million.
Our view:
Chelsea are planning to bolster multiple options this summer. The central defence could be the priority following the free transfer exits of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
Meanwhile, the Blues are also eyeing attacking reinforcements. With Romelu Lukaku on his way out on loan, the club are eyeing a move for Raheem Sterling from Manchester City.
Aside from this, a new midfielder could be pursued with Jorginho and N’Golo Kante showing signs of regression. Rabiot could be an ideal acquisition for the west London giants.
Tuchel knows him well from their time together at Paris Saint-Germain, and it seems he wanted him in January. With contact already made, there is a good possibility that a reunion could happen.
Rabiot is solid with his hold-up play and does not shy away from challenges. He averaged an impressive two tackles per game last season, and could suit the demands of the Premier League.
Manchester United are also interested in securing his services, but Chelsea should have the edge with Tuchel’s presence. They can also offer him Champions League football with chance to win major trophies.
