Why Juventus’ Adrien Rabiot would be a smart signing for Arsenal
According to Foot Mercato (h/t Football London), Arsenal have made enquiries about taking Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot on loan in January.
The Frenchman, 24, joined Juventus on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. He has made just 12 appearances for the Turin giants with seven starts, and has been sent off once.
The move hasn’t worked according to the plan for Adrien Rabiot, as he has struggled to earn a regular role in Turin.
Arsenal are interested in signing the 24-year-old, but will face competition from a number of European clubs in January, the report adds. (h/t Football London)
Mikel Arteta has returned to the Emirates, officially becoming Unai Emery’s replacement, and although he has been in charge of the Gunners for just a few days, France Football (h/t Football London) claims that the newly-appointed boss has told the club’s chief that he wants to sign a No.6 and two central defenders during the winter window.
With doubts remaining over the futures of Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira, who have been linked with Hertha Berlin (h/t The Express) and Napoli (h/t The Daily Mail) respectively, it is no surprise that midfield is an area that Arteta is looking to strengthen during January. And Rabiot would be a smart addition to the Gunners midfield.
Predominantly a box-to-box midfielder, Rabiot can also play as a deep-lying playmaker and dictate the tempo of the game. Technically gifted and tactically versatile, he is renowned for his excellent ability to anchor a midfield and giving the license for attack-minded players to get forward.
The left-footed schemer has an excellent passing range, can take great care of the ball and break up the play when required.
The France international is a major talent that could enhance Arsenal’s midfield if he settles down quickly in England, giving Arteta a formidable combination.
A Torreira-Rabiot combination in the Arsenal engine room would provide Mesut Ozil with the license to play his natural game and open up the opposition without worrying about his fair share of defensive duties.
More Arsenal News
- Why signing Kulusevski could solve Arsenal’s problems in the attack
- Why Arsenal must hold onto defensive midfielder Torreira at all costs
- Why Arsenal should offload out-of-favour Xhaka when the chance arrives
In the video below, one could get a glimpse of the 24-year-old’s distribution skills, reading of the game and ball-retention ability.
Verdict
Rabiot may have struggled to nail down his place in the Juventus team under Maurizio Sarri, but one cannot ignore the fact that he is a serial winner, having won 18 trophies during his five seasons with PSG.
All in all, the Frenchman would truly enhance Arsenal’s midfield, whilst being a perfect replacement for Xhaka.