Arsenal Transfer Rumour: Gunners linked with PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot

Adrien Rabiot

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot has been linked with a move to Arsenal since the last two seasons. However, Arsenal are not the only ones looking out for the player with arch rivals Tottenham Hotspurs too extensively linked with the player. While Arsenal have looked like the club that would acquire the player, nothing has materialized so far. Recent reports suggest that the Gunners are keen on signing the player in January and are set to re-start their pursuit of the talented midfielder.

Rabiot had spent a few months at Manchester City in 2008. However, he was unable to make an impact in the league and is now believed to be keen on a move to the Premier League in a bid to experience the fast-paced, physical nature of the football. Rabiot’s desire to move to England may act as a come and get me plea to the clubs in the Premier League top flight and we expect another transfer window linking him with the Gunners in January.

The French midfielder joined Paris Saint-Germain in July 2012, on a three-year contract after excelling at the Camp des Loges. He went on to make his senior team debut in the Ligue 1 on 26th August to help his development as a footballer, Rabiot spent the second half of the 2012-2013 season at Toulouse FC on loan.

After returning to PSG for the 2012-13 campaign the player became a regular at the club and featured on 46 occasions and even got on the score sheet 6 times. Though not renowned for his goalscoring abilities, given the position he is deployed in,  it is his ability in the middle of the park that has attracted interest from clubs across Europe.

The Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has been a long-term fan of the French player. Back in 2014, the French manager was close to bringing the player to the Emirates and was believed to be in advanced stages of negotiation to sign the player. However, Wenger’s close relationship with Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the president of PSG stopped the deal from materializing.

The general notion is that the PSG president informed Wenger of his interest in keeping the player at the French club and the Gunners manager obliged to his close friend’s request.

Rabiot has grown into an exceptional midfielder who can contribute to his side’s defence as well as attack. Given his abilities on an off the ball, the midfielder will be a perfect signing for the Gunners who have been scouting him for quite a while now. The competition for starting spot has restricted him to a bit-part role and many believe he could fit into the often thin budget of the club. At just 21 years of age, Rabiot still has time to develop as a footballer and definitely has a long career ahead of him.

The player was dropped in favour of Blaise Matuidi in PSG’s 1-1 draw against Saint-Etienne last Friday, and given the quality in the midfield at PSG, the situation is not expected to improve anytime soon, of course, subject to injuries and a move to another club, even if not Arsenal, could prove to be beneficial to the player.