Man Utd midfield target close to renewing contract with his current club
Manchester United target Adrien Rabiot has agreed to extend his contract at Juventus, slamming the door shut to a potential switch to Old Trafford.
According to Corriere dello Sport, the Frenchman has accepted the Serie A club’s proposal to commit his future to the Allianz Stadium.
Rabiot’s current deal in Turin runs out on June 30, which prompted Man United to consider him a potential candidate to bolster Erik ten Hag’s midfield options.
However, the 28-year-old has performed a U-turn on his initial decision to end a four-year stint at Juventus, opting to extend his stay at the 11th hour, handing the Red Devils a significant transfer blow.
Mason Mount remains United’s dream signing, but Chelsea’s reluctance to negotiate their playmaker’s sale to fellow Premier League rivals has complicated their pursuit.
Having already had three bids for the Englishman rejected, Man United shifted their attention back to Rabiot, only to see the former Paris Saint-Germain ace pledge his allegiance to Juventus.
While Massimiliano Allegri can now rest easy, safe in the knowledge his first-team star will be in Turin next season, Ten Hag’s quest to strengthen his engine room is back to square one.
Rabiot first landed on United’s shortlist last summer, but a deal fell through as the Italians refused to sell their midfield metronome despite his contractual wobble at the time.
But their readiness to run the risk of losing him on a free transfer has paid off, as they’ve finally convinced the left-footed midfielder to remain, even though he won’t be playing in the Champions League next season.
Champions League football is one of the main reasons behind Ten Hag’s determined bid to add to his midfield ranks after mostly relying on Casemiro and Christian Eriksen last term.
Now that Rabiot is not in the frame, Man United can either make another attempt to persuade Chelsea to let Mount move to Old Trafford or start exploring other ideas.
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