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What's the story?
Barcelona is considering another hijack this summer as they ponder about a move for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, Adrien Rabiot, before the August 31st deadline according to the Daily Express via French newspaper, L'Equipe.
The highly-rated 23-year-old has been on Liverpool's radar all summer, with the Merseyside club expected to offer the midfielder a pre-contract agreement in January as his current deal expires next summer.
However, with the Spanish transfer window remaining open until the end of the month, Barcelona could potentially swoop in with an offer for the Frenchman. Paris Saint-Germain is likely to consider any decent offer for the player as an alternative to losing him for nothing next summer.
In case you didn't know...
Rabiot came through the ranks at Paris Saint-Germain and has made almost 140 appearances for Les Parisien. The powerful midfielder caused controversy in the summer when he refused a place on the standby list for the French World Cup squad and isolated himself from the national team.
However, with his contract expiring next summer, Rabiot has caught the attention of numerous elite clubs around Europe who are keen to capture his signature. As per Fifa rules, interested clubs can offer a pre-contract agreement to the 23-year-old once he has six months left on his current contract.
The heart of the matter
Liverpool decided against making an offer for Rabiot during the English transfer window as they were confident the player would sign a pre-contract agreement with them in January. However, Barcelona has made a habit of acquiring the targets of other clubs this summer and may be about to steal the Frenchman from under the noses of the Merseyside club.
Speculation about a potential move to the Nou Camp this summer has been fuelled by post-match comments made by Paris Saint-Germain manager, Thomas Tuchel, after his teams comfortable 3-0 win over Caen. The German said:
"It’s not certain if Adrien stays at PSG. It all depends on him. For me, he’s a great player. He can grow even more and become a top player."
Rumour Rating: 7/10
With Rabiot's contract entering its final year, Paris Saint-Germain has a big decision to make. If they are not confident the midfielder will sign a contract extension, they may look to cut their losses and sell him this summer rather than allow him to move on a free transfer next year.
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What's next?
Unlike the Premier League, La Liga clubs can sign new players right up until August 31st. This leaves plenty of time for Barcelona to make a move for Rabiot and bring the 23-year-old to the Nou Camp this summer.
