Paris St Germain could be set to challenge Liverpool to a top transfer target, and to rub salt in the wounds, they’re going to use a former Reds player to seal the deal.
PSG are hunting European glory, something which has eluded them since Qatar Sports Investments took over in 2011. Sports Tiger reports they intended to strengthen their squad with a swoop for Adrien Rabiot, currently at Juventus. 27-year-old Rabiot appeared 227 for PSG between 2012 and 2019, winning five Ligue 1 titles.
He looks set to leave Juventus after Paul Pogba’s arrival. The two had a well-publicized spat at the 2018 World Cup, and despite winning Serie A with them in 2020, he now seems likely to leave. That put Liverpool on red alert, with Jürgen Klopp looking to give his side the edge over their rivals Manchester City. The Blues are the current favorites in the Coral Premier League odds for another title after securing the signatures of Erling Haaland and Kalvin Phillips, and Liverpool need a statement signing of their won to compete. Klopp’s side lost out in the race for first place last season on the final day, and they suffered heartbreak in the Champions League final against Real Madrid.
PSG do have a trick up their sleeve which could halt Liverpool’s progress; they’re willing to offer Gini Wijnaldum in a straight swap deal. The 31-year-old scored 22 goals in 237 outings for Liverpool, including two inside a minute in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona. They went into that game 3-0 down, only to win 4-3 and lift the coveted trophy in the final. However, his move to PSG has not been fruitful, and he’s strolled for game time in a team featuring Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
Liverpool are also set to offer a player for Rabiot, which Juventus might find more appealing. They’re willing to let Guinea international Naby Keita leave Anfield, and at 27 years old, he perhaps represents a better deal for Juventus. Rabiot is valued at around £15m (₹1.18bn), which would mean a significant loss for the Reds on the midfielder. He cost them £48m (₹3.8bn) when he signed from RB Leipzig in 2017, but his move to England hasn’t been successful. He’s made just 76 Premier League appearances in four seasons and racked up 116 overall. Unlike Wijnaldum, he was not part of their 2019 Champions League winning squad.
Other teams are tracking Rabiot as he enters the final year of his contract. Manchester United are undertaking a rebuild, and with Pogba gone, they could seek to bring in the Frenchman. Another Premier League team, Chelsea, are looking to bounce back from a turbulent 12 months under new ownership, and they too have been linked with a move for the player.
It still seems as if PSG will be his favored destination. He knows the city and the club, and there are few barriers to his return. The only slight concern will be his relationship with Mbappe; he was another player rumored to be displeased with Rabiot at the 2018 World Cup. Whether that sees him get on a plane to Paris or instead to Liverpool, Manchester, or London remains to be seen.
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