Adrien Rabiot Signs Juventus Contract, Leaves PSG on Free Transfer
Gianni Verschueren@ReverschPass
Featured ColumnistJuly 1, 2019
Former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot has completed his move to Juventus, joining the Italian champions on a free transfer.
The Bianconeri made the move official Monday:
They had already confirmed Sunday that Rabiot was set to sign:
He follows Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey as the second midfielder to join the club on a free transfer this summer. Juventus have become experts at finding similar bargains:
The 24-year-old Rabiot didn't appear in a single match for PSG during the second half of the 2018-19 campaign, as it became clear he wouldn't sign a new deal in the French capital. As detailed by Bleacher Repot's Tom Williams, it brought an end to a long-running contract standoff, and it wasn't the first controversy involving the midfielder.
Rabiot has also been sidelined for the national team after he refused a spot on the standby list for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, per Williams.
Despite the controversies, Rabiot is a signing that should excite Juventus fans, per Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe:
While the former Manchester City academy member won't feature heavily on the stat sheet, he plays a well-rounded game that opens up tons of space for team-mates. He's excellent at retaining and distributing the ball in the centre of the pitch and pairs great vision with physicality and technique.
With Ramsey and Miralem Pjanic shouldering the creative responsibilities in midfield, Rabiot should be free to play his disruptive brand of defence as well as control the pace when the Bianconeri have the ball.
Juventus also have Blaise Matuidi, Emre Can and Rodrigo Bentancur in the squad, and by signing Rabiot as well, their depth should be tremendous next season. The midfield unit was a weakness in 2017-18 but may be among their biggest strengths moving forward.
His arrival could open the door for Sami Khedira's exit, and according to Goal's Romeo Agresti, Besiktas have already asked about the former Real Madrid man:
If Rabiot remains controversy-free in Turin, this is another tremendous bargain for the Bianconeri, who can spend the transfer fee they normally would have invested in a top midfielder elsewhere.
According to De Telegraaf and Gianluca Di Marzio (h/t Football Italia), the money that was reserved to bring back Manchester United star Paul Pogba will instead go to securing Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt.