Barcelona bullied Man Utd into chasing mercenaries like Rabiot
Robin Bairner
- 17 Aug 2022 09:30 BST
- 4 min read
Manchester United may have blown a move for Adrien Rabiot out of the water, but the Old Trafford club have only themselves to blame for having to haggle with such mercenaries as the Juventus midfielder.
For so long this summer, the Red Devils have been transfixed on Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, with the Catalan club playing them for fools over the deal. A transfer fee was agreed, but no deal was ever particularly close.
As time grows short in the transfer window, Man Utd have panicked and are finally looking at other options.
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Fabrizio Romano has revealed that any deal for France international Rabiot is completed off and there is no prospect of it reigniting unless there is a dramatic shift in stance on the player’s side.
When Man Utd first started discussing Rabiot as a possible option this summer, though, they would have known exactly what they were getting. The midfielder and his entourage, including mother Veronique Rabiot, who acts as his agent, have long been known to be impossible to work with, and the very fact that the Premier League club had to waste time and energy on such a deal is indicative of where they are at present.
With just a couple of weeks left in the transfer window, Erik ten Hag’s side sit at three new signings: Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez.
Worse, that is three more than the number of Premier League points they have after two matches.
And they have no one to blame but themselves for this predicament, in which it looks increasingly difficult for them to complete the type of moves they want to be competitive.
Barcelona allowed to bully Man Utd
Man Utd’s obsession with Frenkie de Jong has been costly. They have been pursuing the Netherlands midfielder for the duration of the transfer window but are no closer to signing the Barcelona star.
The whole saga has been played out on Barca’s terms, with the Catalan side bullying the far richer United into a subservient role in the deal. This was not inevitable.
Had Ten Hag and the Old Trafford club been willing to seriously consider other options earlier, Barcelona might have been forced to shift their transfer stance, particularly as De Jong is unhappy with the club’s treatment of him.
With barely a fortnight left in the transfer window, though, Man Utd are now being forced to beg for scraps, going to mercenaries like Rabiot and trying, somehow, to do an acceptable deal.
Everyone knows that United are now desperate: who can blame them for trying to get the best deal possible at a club that no longer looks like an attractive destination?
Man Utd have only themselves to blame for Rabiot’s huge demands.
