Liverpool get huge helping hand in pursuit of Man Utd target as star admits he ‘followed the Reds’ thanks to one player
Liverpool have been given a massive boost in their chase to capture Adrien Rabiot from Juventus after he admitted to supporting the Anfield club – in a statement which could put Manchester United off signing the midfielder.
Rabiot is in the final six months of his Juve contract and this has led to plenty of talk about a potential switch to England. Rabiot says it is his ‘dream’ to play in the Premier League, with Liverpool, Man Utd and Newcastle all tussling to snap him up.
Juve boss Max Allegri recently attempted to pour cold water on the Rabiot exit rumours by saying he ‘has faith’ the Frenchman will extend his contract with the Serie A club.
But Rabiot has blown his future wide open by admitting it is possible he will leave Juve this summer, and then revealing his love for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
During an interview with Italian source Tuttosport, Rabiot said: “There’s [a] possibility of leaving, but there is also the possibility of signing another contract with Juventus. I feel good in Turin.
“I’m doing well here, I also have [a] good relationship with the manager.”
Rabiot’s next comments are far more telling. He explained how he was a big fan of Liverpool growing up due to admiring Anfield legend Steven Gerrard.
“I loved Liverpool a lot because I was a fan of Steven Gerrard, who made me dream… and so therefore I followed the Reds,” he declared.
“My other idol was Zinedine Zidane.”
Klopp delight as Man Utd-linked ace loves Liverpool
Klopp and Liverpool will be delighted to hear this from the 27-year-old. They have previously looked into signing Rabiot as part of their midfield rebuild and these comments could result in him becoming a primary target.
Rabiot could move to Liverpool on a free transfer due to his contract running down. This would save the club big money for the Jude Bellingham swoop, which is still on the cards despite David Ornstein recently casting doubt over whether it could happen.
When Man Utd tried to land Rabiot last summer, they failed to get the move over the line as they did not meet his contract demands. His mother and agent Veronique is known to be an incredibly tough negotiator.
But Liverpool should not find it as hard to agree terms with Rabiot as Man Utd did. After all, he would probably jump at the chance to sign for them and emulate his hero Gerrard.
Rabiot will still demand big money from Liverpool, but there should be space on the wage bill. Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are both preparing to walk away from the club on free transfers, while Arthur Melo will soon return to Juve at the end of his loan spell.
These departures should help Liverpool to afford Rabiot’s salary, which could be in the region of £120,000 a week.
The former Paris Saint-Germain star does have a history of causing problems in the dressing room. Nevertheless, it would be exciting to see him in the Prem as he has the ability to dominate matches from midfield, as shown by his performances for Juve and France this term.
