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Liverpool have been presented the opportunity to sign midfielder Adrien Rabiot for nothing after it was confirmed that he had left Juventus at the expiry of his contract. The midfielder’s deal in Turin expired at the end of June and there’s now a race for his signature.
Arne Slot is yet to add to his squad this summer ahead of the 2024/25 season. The Reds lost Adrian, Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara at the end of last month meaning they were currently worse off.
Plenty of players have been linked with a move to Anfield. It’s understood a new centre-back and central midfielder are being prioritised by the newly-formed recruitment team and the possibility of Rabiot signing for them could be a real possibility.
The 29-year-old’s contract in Italy expired on June 30th and failure to reach an agreement with Juve placed doubt over his future. On Thursday, it was confirmed that he would leave the club.
“Adrien Rabiot and Juventus’ paths have parted. The French midfielder’s time in Turin has come to an end after five seasons,” it read. “First joining in the summer of 2019, Adrien won a Scudetto, two Italian Cups and one Italian Super Cup.
“Beyond the trophies won together, though, he will be remembered as a player who always gave his all for the shirt, and one who carried himself with undeniable charisma. On the pitch, Adrien was a vital player to Juventus, particularly without the ball. His work rate could not be called into question, and he made huge improvements to his offensive game in recent seasons.
“Last season saw him reach 200 appearances in our shirt, becoming the fifth Frenchman in our history to do so. In all, Adrien made 212 appearances with us, leaving him third in the list of our all-time French appearance makers alongside Zinedine Zidane.
“In terms of Juventus appearances, the only Frenchmen with more are Michel Platini (224) and David Trezeguet (320). Thanks for everything, ‘Cavallo Pazzo’, and good luck for the future!”
It’s said that the midfielder is looking for a contract worth £7.5m a year, more than the £5.8m Juventus offered. Despite being available on a free transfer, his wages would see him earn around £114,000-per-week at his next club.
Rabiot has been linked with a move to Anfield at any opportunity and Slot’s men hold a slight advantage over the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle. The France international has previously revealed he grew up as a Liverpool fan, having idolised one of the Reds’ greatest players.
“I followed Liverpool as a kid because I was a fan of Steven Gerrard,” he told Tuttosport at the end of 2022 (via Football Italia). “He made me dream, so I used to follow the Reds.”