France and Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot has been tipped to join Premier League side Arsenal once the January transfer window opens.
Gunner manager Mikel Arteta has identified Rabiot as a target in January in order to solve the club’s creativity problem and the Spaniard is hopeful that Juventus would allow him leave Turin on a temporary basis.
The Frenchman has started just five league games this season after joining on a free transfer in the summer from PSG. Also, injuries and a lack of form have not helped his matter under manager Maurizio Sarri. It is understood that Juventus would prefer to part ways with German midfielder Emre Can, who is even lower than Rabiot in the pecking order at the Allianz Stadium.
Speaking earlier in December, Sarri confessed that Rabiot has found it difficult to adapt to life in Italy both on the pitch and away from football.
“He has struggled to settle into our football, but that is normal,” he explained.
“He also came off an injury and struggled more in the first half in Germany [against Bayer Leverkusen], but he came out towards the end. He is also quite introverted, which doesn’t help him to settle.”
The Frenchman is capable of operating as both a playmaker and a defensive midfielder and Arteta seemingly sees Rabiot as an ideal solution for his side’s midfield woes. The Gunners have lacked creativity in midfield since Real Madrid loanee Dani Ceballos got injured and playmaker Mesut Ozil’s unimppresive performance when he is named in the starting eleven.
Also, Granit Xhaka has been relegated to the bench since his clash with the Arsenal fans. The former captain was tipped to leave under former manager Unai Emery, but Arteta appears to have given Xhaka a chance to redeem himself at the Emirates Stadium.
However, by pursuing Rabiot, it seems Arteta feels like Arsenal still need more reinforcements if they are to fight their way back up the Premier League table.
