Erik ten Hag is ready to move through with plans to recruit Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, a year after Manchester United backed out of a deal owing to the Frenchman’s high wage demands. Ten Hag was recruited in the aftermath of United’s worst-ever Premier League season, but the Dutchman has had a successful first season at Old Trafford, with the club presently on pace to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Adrien Rabiot is anticipated to attract attention from a number of teams this summer, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season and United apparently eager to take advantage of his free agent status. Ten Hag appears to be resuming his pursuit of the midfielder at the end of the season, according to claims that he has spoken personally with the player.
Ten Hag wants Adrien Rabiot this time as he looks to avoid last summer’s mistake
Whether United finishes in the top four or not, Ten Hag will need additional funds to continue reshaping a squad that is still a long way from challenging Manchester City for the title. While a top-tier striker is at the top of Ten Hag’s summer wishlist, he will also be in the market for midfield recruits.
According to the French newspaper L’Equipe, Adrien Rabiot is one of them. The 28-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of June once his contract with Juventus expires, and Ten Hag has identified him as a key target. The France international is having his best season in Serie A, scoring 11 goals in all competitions for the Italian giants.
As a result, Juventus would want to keep the midfielder, but the Italian giants do not have the money to do so, since the midfielder will definitely demand a pay-hike. However, despite that, Manchester United’s chances of landing Adrien Rabiot this time around may be hindered by competing interest from Newcastle, who are also looking for midfield reinforcements.
United are hoping that Ten Hag’s past contacts with Rabiot would help them if a bidding battle breaks out for the midfield master, who has 37 caps for France. Rabiot is no unknown to United’s leadership prior to last summer’s discussions. The club has previously pursued the highly-rated midfielder during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign.
Solskjaer and former Old Trafford chief executive Ed Woodward discussed a move for Adrien Rabiot in 2019, when he was also available on a free transfer when his contract at Paris Saint-Germain expired. However, sources at the time indicated that there were worries over Rabiot’s mentality, and United ultimately passed on a deal that Solskjaer felt too risky.
However, it seems Ten Hag is ready to take that risk, given a lot has changes as well since the last summer. Adrien Rabiot has displayed maximum level of professionalism with the Turin outfit despite knowing that his contract expires at the end of the season. He will now be focused on helping Juventus prevail over Sevilla in the second of their Europa League semifinal, with the scoreline hung at 1-1, before thinking of his next destination.