Adrien Rabiot has impressed for Juventus since the restart (Getty Images)
As per Tuttomercatoweb (h/t The Express), Chelsea are interested in signing Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot in exchange for Emerson Palmieri this summer.
Rabiot, 25, came through the ranks of Paris Saint Germain’s youth system and made a breakthrough in the 2012/13 season. Later, he went on to make 227 appearances for the French Champions, winning several trophies including 6 Ligue 1 titles.
However, he was signed by Juventus last summer on a free transfer, after he refused to sign a contract extension with PSG.
Since his move to Turin, the Frenchman has struggled to claim a spot for himself and has been reduced to limited starts. His performances seem to have declined in the past two years, and thus, Chelsea should avoid signing the former PSG man.
Meanwhile, the Blues have endured a decent campaign so far under the management of Frank Lampard. They have performed well enough to stay fourth in the league despite the manager having to do with limited options at regular intervals.
Still, Lampard has a lot of work to do in terms of bringing reinforcements to the squad, especially to their attacking unit and the defensive unit. Chelsea’s midfield, though, looks set with the likes of Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante and Jorginho being the first choices. And Mason Mount has also risen through the ranks to claim a permanent spot in the starting XI.
Youngster Billy Gilmour has also done an excellent job whenever he got the opportunity.
Apart from that, the Blues have Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Marco van Ginkel – both of whom have been out of action throughout the campaign due to major injuries. Their return to the squad would be a huge boost to the depth of the team. Thus, signing Rabiot from Juventus would make no sense for the club.
Rabiot has made just 17 appearances in the league this term, starting in only 11 of them. He is yet to contribute with a goal or an assist.
Given the Frenchman’s form and the options already available at Lampard’s disposal, signing him would only be a waste of resources. There are more pressing concerns, such as the lack of a backup striker and a new left-back that the manager should, instead, look to address.
Chelsea have a plethora of midfield talents in their ranks and Lampard. Moreover, Rabiot’s form has been on a decline in recent seasons. Thus, the Blues should keep their eyes off the Frenchman and instead, look to strengthen other key areas on the pitch.
