Arsenal
Arsenal + Chelsea Could Miss Out As London Rivals Eye Move For €12m Midfielder
Tottenham Hotspur could be set to trump rivals Arsenal and Chelsea to the signing of €12m Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot, according to reports.
The summer transfer window is now reaching its climax and managers are working hard to make some last minute additions to their squad, so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip. Today, Tottenham could be set to trump Arsenal and Chelsea to the signing of Adrien Rabiot.
Image: Express
Tottenham could be set to trump rivals Arsenal and Chelsea to the signing of €12m Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot, according to reports.
Rabiot has been with the Ligue 1 champions since 2010 but was forced out on loan to Toulouse in January 2013 to get some much-needed first team football under his belt after struggling to establish himself in Laurent Blanc’s side, with the likes of Blaise Matuidi, Marco Verratti and Yohan Cabaye all ahead of him in the pecking order.
The 19-year-old has just one year remaining on his current deal and is now expected to leave the Parc des Princes after turning down PSG’s latest offer of a contract extension, with Blanc confirming the midfielder is set for a move:
“I believe he [Rabiot] will leave, but I can’t tell you where.”
“Rabiot has received a good [contract] offer from PSG but apparently it doesn’t interest him. It’s a shame.”
“I think his entourage is taking advantage of his contractual situation.” Blanc is quoted as saying by the Express
Arsenal and Chelsea have been strongly linked with the France under-21 international in recent weeks with both Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho understood to be huge admirers of the teenager.
The Gunners are in need of a defensive-minded midfielder to act as a long-term replacement for Mikel Arteta in the middle of the park, while the Blues could also bring in another option in midfield following the exits of David Luiz and Frank Lampard this summer, and Rabiot would be an exciting addition to either squad.
However, it looks like they will now face stiff competition from London rivals Tottenham with the Express claiming that Mauricio Pochettino’s men have declared their interest and are keen on luring him to White Hart Lane.
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The newspaper suggests that PSG had previously demanded a fee in the region of €30m for the teenager, but now the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea or Spurs could pick him up for a bargain €12m (£9.5m) as the French giants are reluctant to lose him for nothing in 12 months time.
It will be an interesting battle between the three London sides if they all make their interest official during the closing days of the transfer window, but it remains to be seen whether any of the clubs will be able to lure Rabiot to the Premier League over the other options he’d have abroad.
