Manchester United have officially missed out on Adrien Rabiot with a number of former Juventus stars hailing the Serie A giants for successfully tying the Premier League-linked midfielder down to a new contract.
When Erik ten Hag missed out on the France international a year ago, they ended up with Casemiro instead. As consolations go, this almost felt like misplacing a tenner and finding a £20 note instead.
Whether history repeats itself – Adrien Rabiot slipping through Manchester United’s fingers for the second summer in succession – remains to be seen. Confirmation of Rabiot’s new contract on Tuesday raises the pressure on the Red Devils as they look to strike a deal with Chelsea for Mason Mount, having seen three bids rejected for the all-action Englishman already.
Rabiot, once of Manchester City, enjoyed the finest season of his career in 2022/23. The formerly-maligned midfielder scored 11 goals while setting up six more from his box-to-box role.
It speaks volumes about Rabiot’s commitment to the Bianconeri cause, then, that he was willing to turn down Champions League football at Old Trafford in favour of tying himself down for a further 12 months at a crisis-hit Juve side who finished seventh in Serie A following a hefty points deduction.
Adrien Rabiot snubs Manchester United again
“The renewal of the contract is great news,” smiles ex-Juventus and Liverpool ace Momo Sissoko, speaking to TuttoJuve. “I’m happy for Adrien.
“He strongly wanted to stay at Juve. He feels good in Turin and he has always felt important within this group. Choosing Juventus again, for me, was the best decision he could have made. Adrien will be a fundamental piece in the reconstruction.”
“He is a great player. And, for Juventus, it is important to start over from a (player who brings) certainty, like the Frenchman,” adds ex-Italy striker Luca Toni (Gazzetta dello Sport).
“What I like least is the extension for only one year. So, next spring, new Rabiot rumours will begin.”
Manchester United hope to finally reach an agreement with Chelsea over Mount this week. Ten Hag’s number one midfield target, the £55 million bid United submitted on Saturday remains on the table at Stamford Bridge.
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