Adrien Rabiot has been a long-term target for Arsenal and after playing under Unai Emery, many fans thought the young player would be on his way to Arsenal, with Tottenham and Napoli joining the race, it might not be so simple.
It is now believed that Napoli have made a £28m bid for the player and according to TalkSport, the player wants to join the Italian side to play under former boss Carlo Ancelotti, whom he has a great relationship with.
This may put a spanner in the works of Arsenal’s signing of the player, with the Gunner’s also interested in signing Rabiot’s teammate Marco Verratti. The defensive midfielder has been a target for many of the biggest clubs all over Europe since becoming a revelation for PSG.
Joining the club at 18 in 2014, Rabiot has been a key player for French giants Paris Saint Germain this season, playing 48 games. During the season, the 23-year-old has managed to score 4 goals and 7 assists from the defensive midfield position.
Arsenal’s interest in the player could mean that Emery is lacking confidence in the current defensive midfielder for the Gunners, Granit Xhaka. Many fans are split over Xhaka, with a large camp of supporters calling for the players’ sale after several inconsistent performances.
It’s harsh to call for the sale of a player who has scored 3 goals this season and created 7 assists while playing as a sole defensive midfielder for a large portion of the season. The 25-year-old is a clear leader and, a rarity in the Arsenal squad, a fiery and passionate player.
Losing the race for Adrien Rabiot would be a shame for Arsenal but if Emery can sign Sokratis and Soyuncu in the coming weeks then fans should be excited for the season ahead.
