Rabiot will be the bargain of the summer - Liverpool must sign him

Sam McGuire

• 27 Mar 2023 13:13 BST
• 5 min read

It didn’t look likely last summer but there could well be a scramble for the signature of Adrien Rabiot once the 2022/23 season comes to an end.

The 27-year-old is available on a free transfer in the summer and his form this term has catapulted him into the forefront of a of minds.

Rabiot almost joined Manchester United during Erik ten Hag’s first transfer window at Old Trafford, with the Red Devils even agreeing to pay Juventus a €20 million fee. However, the deal failed to materialise due to the wage demands of the Frenchman – and those of his notoriously pushy mother, Veronique.

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With the Serie A side open to parting ways with the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, many wondered how the 2022/23 campaign would pan out for Rabiot in Turin.

Few would’ve envisaged him being such an integral part of Max Allegri’s team but an injury to Paul Pogba likely changed the manager’s plans. Rabiot was also instrumental for France as they reached the World Cup final as he formed a formidable base alongside Aurelien Tchouameni for Les Bleus in midfield.

Juventus are believed to be keen on extending his stay with the club while Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool are also interested in what could be one of the bargains of the summer.

The links to the Reds are perhaps the most intriguing.

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Rabiot perfect for Liverpool and Klopp

Liverpool are expected to lose Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on free transfers this summer while James Milner could finally call time on his playing career. Thiago and Jordan Henderson both need their minutes to be managed while there is doubt about Fabinho’s future after an underwhelming 2022/23.

Midfielders are needed on Merseyside and Jurgen Klopp might have to get creative with his finite budget to make it work. The German tactician is believed to have a hefty amount to spend this summer as he looks to revamp his squad but a large chunk of that will be eaten up by Jude Bellingham - if the England international opts for Anfield over Manchester City and Real Madrid.

Someone like Rabiot on a free would make a lot of sense. He’s tactically versatile, experienced but still fairly young in the grand scheme of things.

The Juventus No.25 has been named as a Liverpool transfer target previously. Julien Laurens revealed the Reds were keen on the midfielder while he was still with PSG and that Klopp had even pushed for Borussia Dortmund to sign the left-footed maestro when he was at the helm there.

While there have previously been doubts over Rabiot’s attitude and claims his agent, his mother, is difficult to work with, it does appear as though he’s mellowed a little with age. After all, he refused to be on the standby squad for France’s World Cup squad in 2018 but then smoothed things out with Didier Deschamps to star in the 2022 competition.

Despite there being uncertainty over his future last summer, the 27-year-old has been a star for Juventus in what can only be described as a transitional campaign for the Old Lady of Italian football. Yet he’s managed to score nine times across Serie A and the Champions League while also chipping in with four assists in all competitions. It is the best goalscoring season of his career.

It is ironic that he’s found this level of consistency when everything around him in Turin is bordering on chaos, but it does point to the fact he’s matured.

While Liverpool might not be able to offer him the best financial package, the fact he was a Reds fan growing up might sway things in their favour.

Rabiot was recently quoted as saying: “I liked Liverpool so much because I was a fan of Steven Gerrard who made me dream and, therefore, I followed them. My other idol was [Zinedine] Zidane."

Age aside, Rabiot does tick a fair few boxes for the Merseysiders. He’s had no long-term injuries and has regularly racked up north of 2,000 minutes per season. The Juventus man can play in a midfield three or in a double pivot. Klopp has flip-flopped between a 4-3-3 and a variation of a 4-4-2 this season, so that sort of tactical flexibility would be an asset to the team.

Klopp loves physicality in midfield and Rabiot comes in at 6ft2. He is one of the most aerially dominant midfielders in Serie A. The Frenchman is also press-resistant and diligent defensively. Though defensive metrics are tied to volume, it does highlight his work rate as he’s able to post impressive interceptions, tackles and clearance numbers.

There is a clamour for big-money midfielders this summer but Liverpool bringing Rabiot in on a free transfer would be shrewd business, especially if it allows them to fund a move for Bellingham.