Arsenal are reportedly among the clubs in pole position to sign French midfielder and Manchester United target Adrien Rabiot on a free transfer this summer.
Rabiot spent five years at Juventus, contributing to the team's success with one Serie A title, two Coppa Italias and a Supercoppa Italiana crown.
During his time at the club, the central midfielder scored 22 goals in 212 appearances and recently completed an impressive campaign at the Allianz Stadium.
Despite Juventus' efforts to retain his services with a new long-term contract, Rabiot declined, allowing his terms to expire on June 30.
Subsequently, Juventus announced that the 29-year-old would be leaving on a free transfer this summer and it seems that the Frenchman could be on his way to the Premier League ahead of the new season.
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Arsenal emerge as frontrunners for Rabiot's signature
Interest in Rabiot has emerged from several big-name clubs across Europe, including Inter and AC Milan, while Man United have been frequently been linked with a move for the 29-year-old over the last two years.
However, according to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, Arsenal have now emerged as one of the three leading contenders in the race to sign Rabiot this summer.
This comes just days after Rabiot's mother and agent Veronique confirmed that she has been in talks with 'many clubs', one of which appears to be the Gunners.
The report adds that Champions League winners Real Madrid and Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid are also interested in taking the Frenchman to La Liga for the 2024-25 season.
It is understood that AC Milan had opened talks with the midfielder, who made five appearances for Les Bleus at Euro 2024, but have since turned their attention to Monaco's Youssouf Fofana.
TEAMtalk reported this week that Rabiot has expressed his eagerness to play in the Premier League in the upcoming season and is looking for a wage in the region of £200,000 per week.
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Will the Gunners move on Rabiot this summer?
Arsenal certainly have the financial capacity to meet Rabiot's wage demands, with several players at the Emirates Stadium already earning over £200,000 a week.
Additionally, signing the Frenchman on a free transfer would enable Mikel Arteta and Edu to bolster their midfield while conserving funds for other transfer targets.
The Gunners have already confirmed the permanent signings of David Raya and Riccardo Calafiori this summer and are reportedly in advanced talks with Real Sociedad for Euro 2024 winner Mikel Merino.
Barcelona are said to be rivalling Arsenal for the 28-year-old's signature but Arteta's side are believed to be closing in on a deal worth around £25m for the Spaniard.
There have also been widespread reports suggesting that the Premier League giants could soon have a new striker arriving at the Emirates in Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres, who is understood to have agreed personal terms with the club.
Devesh Jaganath
