Manchester United are working on a deal to sign Juventus star Adrien Rabiot, according to reports. Frenkie de Jong, of Barcelona, has been the club’s top transfer target until this point. But with a deal for Rabiot now being lined up, it means the Red Devils have a dilemma on their hands.
Manchester United have spent 13 weeks chasing De Jong, who was swiftly identified as Erik ten Hag’s top transfer target at Old Trafford.
But, according to The Athletic, they’re now eyeing a deal for Rabiot – who has just 12 months left on his Juventus contract.
The 27-year-old is said to be a ‘leading option’ for the fallen Premier League giants, who lost their opening match of the campaign 2-1 to Brighton on Sunday.
United, it’s claimed, must now decide whether they try and close a deal for Rabiot regardless of what happens with De Jong.
They’ve agreed a fee with Barcelona for the Netherlands international, which is believed to be worth an initial £63million.
But De Jong still doesn’t want to leave the Nou Camp behind and Chelsea have since joined the race for the midfielder, with the Blues able to offer him Champions League football.
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Barcelona owe the midfielder £14m to £17m in deferred wages after De Jong agreed to take a pay cut at the start of the coronavirus pandemic back in 2020.
Yet United appear to have their work cut out when it comes to snapping him up.
That may explain why they’re now eyeing Rabiot, who featured in Juventus’ 4-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Rabiot has been a regular first-teamer throughout his spell at the Allianz Stadium, having joined from Paris Saint-Germain back in the summer transfer window of 2019.
And United now appear ready to make him their fourth summer signing after deals for the likes of Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez were wrapped up.
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Regarding De Jong, United legend Gary Neville recently said his old side have plenty ‘riding on’ a deal for the Barcelona star.
“There’s a lot on that De Jong deal,” said Neville. “Just generally. Not just for the team but for the club, the new operation, so they can get a deal over the line.
“There are three scenarios. One is that they get him, they look smart, they look patient, they look like they’ve bided their time and got the deal that they wanted.
“Or, he stays at Barcelona. Which I think could be slightly embarrassing given the relationship the manager’s got with the player.
“Or the horrific outcome is that, he doesn’t just leave Barcelona, he goes to Chelsea – a competitor in the Premier League.
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“That wouldn’t be a good outcome for United’s recruitment department. I think that would cause problems in the next few weeks.
“At the moment, it might be in two or three weeks Ronaldo settles down, says he’s staying, the football they’ve played in pre-season has been great, they might get De Jong over the line, all of a sudden you’re thinking: oh wow, it could be United.”
And he also expressed a belief United were still pursuing the player due to his good relationship with Ten Hag.
“Look if the manager has a relationship with the player, you’d have thought United would have abandoned that deal many years ago.
“If Ten Hag trusts, knows, looks…they’d have surely aborted that mission weeks ago.
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“You’ve got to read between the lines a little bit and think he must be getting told something that we’re not.
“If he’s said ‘no I’m not coming I want to stay at Barcelona’ or ‘I want to go to London to play in the Champions League’, surely at that point United would have said ‘we’re out of the race for Frenkie de Jong.
“That they’re still in it, there must be something there.”
United are next in action against Brentford on Saturday (5.30pm).
The Red Devils did the double over the Bees last term and, in the wake of their defeat to Brighton, sorely need all three points.
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