Juventus has started to recall its players but not all have returned as the team starts preparation for the planned season reopening this June. One of the notable players missing was reportedly Adrien Rabiot. The 25-year-old has gained criticism the past weeks, including being one of the players reportedly not keen on getting a pay cut. Juve was trying to save on expenses due to the COVID-19, asking players to consider wage cuts of up to four months.
Word on Rabiot’s alleged holdout came from La Stampa. Rabiot got word of the said report and shot back. The French footballer is set to return to Italy but the club was allegedly unhappy with the midfielder’s conduct.
Rabiot came out to explain his side. He rebuffed claims that he was on strike and holding out. He explained that he and his mother were just being cautious considering the COVID-19 cases in the country continue to be a problem. Rabiot also lashed out on allegations he was not amenable to a pay cut and said that he was among the first players to agree to it.
Rabiot took to Instagram and took a swipe at his detractors and media. He hinted that some reports lack credibility and were missing key information.
Regardless, it remains that Rabiot has not exactly lived up to his billing. He has struggled to fit in with Juventus and there are rumors that he may be leaving for Manchester United soon. The Red Devils have repeatedly shown interest in the 25-year-old but will need to settle the set transfer fee to get him out of Juventus Stadium. The asking price of Juve is £26.5 million.
For now, Rabiot will have to honor his current deal with Juventus until the end of the season. It remains to be seen if a transfer will go down, especially with most teams trying to save off on investing heavily in players.
The good news for Rabiot is that his options are plenty. If not Juventus or Manchester United, Everton has also expressed interest in acquiring the midfielder. Should that go down, Rabiot would be reunited with Carlo Ancelotti, his former coach when he was still playing for Paris Saint-Germain.
Juventus plans in the summer remains unclear. Several names have been linked to the club while others in the fray are reportedly being let go. Aside from Rabiot, there is also Mirealem Pjanic who has drawn interest from Barcelona. As for possible new faces, there are alleged talks underway to bring back Jorginho from Chelsea, possibly reuniting him with Maurizio Sarri.
