According to a recent report by Tuttomercatoweb, Everton have been labelled as a ‘possible destination’ for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot during the summer transfer period. The same source has also revealed that the Toffees are among three English clubs including Arsenal and Manchester United, hoping to acquire the signature of the French midfielder this summer. It is understood that Juve are considering the possibility of cashing in on Rabiot in this off-season due to some concerns over his ‘attitude’ and ‘desire’ which have not been up to the Turin club’s standards (via Tuttomercatoweb).
Rabiot’s Underwhelming Season In Italian Football
The 25-year-old has endured a frustrating spell at the Allianz Stadium this season after struggling to find a run of consistency with his productivity going forward. He has made 24 appearances for the Italian giants this term, receiving a total of 1550 minutes of playing time in the process across all competitions which highlight his shortcomings in Italy so far.
Rabiot has however shown a few glimpses of his brilliance as evident from his average of 1.7 tackles, 1.0 interceptions, 0.5 shots, 0.7 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per game in the Serie A and the UEFA Champions League this season (stats via whoscored). However, there is no denying that he has looked far from his best since moving to Turin from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
The Saint-Maurice born midfield ace has also earned five senior caps for the French national team but is yet to open his goal-scoring account for his country. Maybe a summer switch to Goodison Park could offer him a chance to make a fresh start by rediscovering his form at the highest level.
What Does The Talented Frenchman Offer On The Pitch?
Rabiot is an all-round midfielder as he can do a bit of everything at the centre of the park. He boasts decent pace and agility which enables him to complete a few lung-bursting dribbles in the opposition half. The five-time France international is also not shy about getting stuck in with a few tackles so that he can earn possession back for his side. He is usually quite tidy when interchanging the ball with his teammates after completing 91% of his attempted passes in the Serie A this season (stats via whoscored).
Is Rabiot The Right Fit For The Merseyside Club?
However, the jury is still out on whether he can rediscover his old form in the coming seasons. Rabiot has all the skillset required to be a success story under the expert stewardship of Carlo Ancelotti at Goodison Park. He will not only add some quality and steel to the Toffees midfield but also increase competition for places within their squad.
The Frenchman can push some of Everton’s underperforming players such as Fabian Delph, Andre Gomes, Tom Davies, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Morgan Schneiderlin to perform better and earn their keep at Merseyside next season. Plus, he will also bring a winning mentality to Ancelotti’s dressing room which might be enough for the Toffees to taste some silverware in the years to come.
All in all, Rabiot will be a decent fit for Everton but only if they can land him for a bargain fee this summer. Otherwise, Ancelotti will be better off focussing his attention on recruiting other proven midfielders before the start of the new season.
