Arsenal Opinion: Why Emery should snap up Adrien Rabiot on a free transfer
According to a report from Paris United, Arsenal are very much interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain outcast Adrien Rabiot.
The Frenchman, 24, has not featured for Paris Saint-Germain since December and will leave this summer on a free transfer after turning down a new contract. He has attracted interest from several clubs across Europe, including Manchester United, Barcelona, Tottenham and Liverpool.
But Arsenal manager Unai Emery is keen to reunite with Adrien Rabiot at Arsenal having managed the midfielder at PSG. No Champions League football, however, could make things complicated. Yet, Emery should strive hard to bring in Rabiot this summer.
Securing a place in next season’s Champions League was vital for the Gunners in terms of boosting their transfer budget for the summer. But they lost 4-1 to Chelsea in Baku, meaning Emery’s side face yet another season in the Europa League.
As per the Daily Mail, Emery will have just £45 million to spend on new players this summer, while the north London giants are looking to offload Mesut Ozil, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Shkodran Mustafi. A limited budget means the Arsenal boss has to recruit smartly while addressing a number of areas this summer.
While strengthening the defence remains at the top of the priority list, Emery should also focus on bolstering his options in the middle of the park. Arsenal need a box-to-box style midfield player that can dictate the tempo of the game, pick the right pass in the final third and helps in keeping the team tick over.
Granit Xhaka, Lucas Torreira and young Matteo Guendouzi blew hot and cold this past season, leaving the back-line exposed a lot of times. The addition of an experienced midfielder would certainly come as a massive boost to Emery’s side as they’ve struggled to compete with some of the Premier League’s high-quality midfields this term.
Signing a player of Rabiot’s class and experience will definitely be a step in the right direction for the north Londoners. The Frenchman is highly regarded as one of Ligue 1’s best midfielders, thanks to his all-round ability in the middle of the park.
An excellent passer of the ball, the 24-year-old is defensively solid and an impressive reader of the game, while he can also chip in with the odd goal. In addition, he can make driving runs into the final third and has an eye for that defence-splitting through pass.
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The former Manchester City young gun is also fantastic without the ball. He works incredibly hard in the engine room and breaks the opposition’s attacks with his tackling traits and physicality. A superb athlete and given his volumes of experience at the highest level, Rabiot will be able to provide a long-term solution to Arsenal’s midfield woes.
Verdict
On a free transfer, the signing of Rabiot would undoubtedly represent a massive coup for Arsenal if Emery can persuade him to join at the Emirates.
