13 February 2023 , 12:54
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Reborn Juventus star Adrien Rabiot has admitted that he doesn't know where his future lies - six months on from his failed move to Manchester United.
The French midfielder, 27, was on the verge of leaving Juve in the summer transfer window, with United chief John Murtough even jetting into Turin with the hope of finalising a £15million transfer after weeks of fraught negotiations. In a swift turn of events, the Red Devils pulled out of the strenuous deal because Rabiot's agent and mother, Veronique, was demanding an eye-watering salary worth more £8m per year which would've made him one of the highest-paid players in manager Erik ten Hag 's squad.
Despite Rabiot's resurgence at Juventus, which has seen him regain his starting spot under Massimiliano Allegri, the France international's future remains undecided as his current deal expires this June. After scoring the winning goal in Juve's hard-fought 1-0 win at home to Fiorentina on Sunday, putting them up to ninth place in Serie A following a remarkable 15-point deduction for financial wrongdoing, Rabiot was quizzed on his future by DAZN.
"At this moment I feel good, but I don't know what's going to happen," the former United target confessed. "The important thing is to give 100 per cent, then we'll see what happens. I'll talk to the club, but right now there are more important things to think about."
With four goals and two assists under his belt across 18 league appearances this season, Rabiot isn't likely to be short of attention over the next few months. A versatile, box-to-box midfielder, the 27-year-old's solid performances for France at the World Cup only solidified his turnaround, having been made surplus to requirements at Juventus at the end of last term.
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If his lofty wage demands from the summer remain, however, it's unlikely that the cash-strapped club will be able to extend Rabiot's deal beyond June, although initial discussions are reported to have taken place. Juve are appealing their punishment from Italian football chiefs, but rumours are persisting that the Italian giants could face further investigations and subsequent charges.
Adrien Rabiot has enjoyed an impressive season for both club and country (Matteo Bottanelli/NurPhoto via Getty Images)Have your say! Should Man Utd gone through on signing Rabiot? Give us your verdict in the comments section.
A move to Manchester isn't completely out of question for Rabiot given that United still need to work on their midfield department. Elsewhere, Barcelona have been linked with interest in his services, having allegedly come close to signing the former Paris Saint-Germain prodigy when he acrimoniously left the French capital on a free transfer in 2019.
Labelled a difficult personality in his younger years, Juventus boss Allegri claims that Rabiot has "now reached the age of maturity." "I told Rabiot that if he was happy to go to Manchester he could go. But he eventually stayed put and he remains an important player for us," Allegri also told DAZN in November.
"I just reminded him that at Juventus he's well respected, and that I consider him a great player with significant room for improvement. Adrien has now reached the age of maturity."