The deal to bring Adrien Rabiot to Manchester United looks very close to being agreed as the club and player are now just £25,000 per week apart in their salary expectations.
United have already agreed a €17 million deal with Juventus for the enigmatic Frenchman and yesterday director of football John Murtough met with the 27 year old’s mother-agent Veronique to try to conclude personal terms.
And according to Tuttosport, negotiations have left the two sides close to an agreement.
“The proposal served on a plate to Madame Veronique was refused. Too little, €8.5 million for three years [£138,000 per week].
“And so there was a meeting in person between the British executive and the mother-agent … the request: €10 million a year [£163,000 per week].
“The boy really likes the Dutch coach Ten Hag who dotes on his dynamism, pure gold to be exploited in an athletically performing championship like that of the Premier League.
“Here the popular feeling is that an agreement, if not imminent, is close.”
If Tuttosport’s figures are correct, there seems very little to stop this transfer from going through as £163,000 per week falls well within United’s salary structure.
According to spotrac.com, it would place Rabiot ninth on United’s list of high earners, one place behind Harry Maguire (£185,000 pw) and one above Christian Eriksen and Luke Shaw (£150,000 pw).
It may be that Murtough is dragging his heels a little to see whether there is a successful outcome in United’s pursuit of Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein claimed recently that the club still haven’t decided whether they would pursue Rabiot as well as, or instead of, the Dutchman.
Meanwhile, Tuttosport notes that the Frenchman will not be in action for Juve in their Monday night fixture against Sassuolo as he is serving a ban.
This, they say, “allows all the protagonists to take a few more hours to get to the moment of yes.”
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