Liverpool advised against signing ‘one season wonder’ as links with Serie A midfielder gather pace
Liverpool have been advised against signing reported target Adrien Rabiot, with an Italian football expert claiming the midfielder has been ‘really poor’ overall at Juventus.
The 27-year-old, who joined the Italian giants in 2019, is out of contract in the summer and the Reds have been heavily linked with him recently.
However, Italian journalist Gabriele Marcotti has warned Liverpool fans that Rabiot is not the answer to the problems they’ve faced this season.
Speaking on ESPN FC’s YouTube channel, Marcotti said: “Rabiot was, I think, one of my least favourite players for a number of years, just because you look at his ability, the whole package and everything, and you think, wow, he should be really good.
“Instead, I think at Juve mostly, he’s been really poor – until this season when all of a sudden, and I think it coincided with an uptick with the French national team as well, he’s shown a ton of personality, he’s shown a ton of responsibility.
“He’s been, I think, one of Juve’s standouts this season. What you have to weigh up [for] anybody signing Rabiot is, is this kind of a one-season wonder for him where all the bits come together, or has he turned the corner?”
Liverpool desperate for new midfielders
It’s no secret that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is looking to bolster his midfield ahead of next season, with the likes of James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago all past their prime.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita are also set to leave Anfield at the end of the current campaign, so the Reds have a clear need to replace them, too.
Jude Bellingham is thought to be Liverpool’s top target this summer, but with Real Madrid, Manchester United and Manchester City all in the race for the €150m (approx. £132.4m) rated star, they may find it difficult to finalise a deal.
With that in mind, Klopp has reportedly drawn up a shortlist of alternative options as the Merseyside club prepares for a busy transfer window.
As previously reported by TEAMtalk, one of those players is Rabiot, who recently admitted that he ‘follows the Reds’ after idolising Steven Gerrard as a youngster.
Since joining Juventus from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019, the central midfielder has made 162 appearances for the Italian club, scoring 15 goals and making 10 assists in the process.
This season has seen his best return to date, though, netting nine times in 33 outings across all competitions, as well as making nine assists.
However, if Marcotti is right in suggesting that Rabiot is a ‘one-season wonder’ and is simply playing for a big-money move away from Turin, Liverpool would do well to look elsewhere this summer.
