Newcastle ‘unlikely’ to sign ‘world-class’ free agent as Arsenal, Man Utd remain interested

Newcastle are ‘unlikely’ to sign Adrien Rabiot on a free transfer as two key issues have been presented as the midfielder continues to be linked elsewhere.

While the Premier League transfer window has now shut, clubs are still able to sign free agents between now and the window opening again in January.

There are a number of high-profile players who are currently without a club and one of them is Rabiot, who has been a free agent since his contract with Juventus came to an end.

The French international, who has been described as ‘world-class’ by David Trezeguet, has been linked with a move to the Premier League for quite some time.

Newcastle are among the clubs interested, but according to Football Insider, Eddie Howe’s side are ‘unlikely’ to sign him for two key reasons.

Rabiot himself wants to play European football and after finishing seventh in the Premier League last season, that’s not something that Newcastle can currently offer him.

The report also claims that Newcastle are ‘not willing to be held to ransom’ in terms of the financial package that Rabiot is after.

While a move to Newcastle no longer seems to be on the cards for Rabiot, he could still end up in the Premier League as Arsenal and Man Utd remain interested.

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Where will Rabiot end up?

The Frenchman doesn’t seem to be in any rush to decide upon his next club, despite Didier Deschamps describing Rabiot’s situation as ’embarrassing’.

“Adrien Rabiot has a somewhat embarrassing situation,” Deschamps told reporters after he left Rabiot out of the latest France squad.

“His contract was expiring and he was solicited by several teams but now he’s without a team and doesn’t train in a group. I hope he can quickly choose a club that can then bring him back to us.”

It’s been well-documented that Man Utd hold an interest in the Frenchman, although the Red Devils are currently running into the same problem as Newcastle.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Rabiot’s ‘demands remain too costly’ for the club which leaves the Frenchman in a tricky spot.

Likewise, Arsenal have been linked with a move for the French international, but according to GiveMeSport, it would take a wage of £220,000 per week to lure him to the Premier League.

Newcastle considering a January alternative

Given a move for Rabiot is proving too costly for Newcastle, the club have started to sound out some alternative options ahead of the January transfer window.

According to The Sun, Lille midfielder Angel Gomes has become Newcastle’s ‘top target’ for the January window. However, they do face competition from the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund.

Gomes impressed while on international duty for England and it’s no surprise that a number of clubs are keeping tabs on the former Man Utd youth product.

While Newcastle would have to pay to get him out of Lille, Gomes’ wage expectations will likely be far less than what Rabiot is currently demanding.

The 24-year-old is also out of contract at the end of the season which means Howe’s side could be able to sign him for a cut-price fee.

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Rabiot’s career so far

Rabiot certainly has plenty of pedigree at the top level and it surely won’t be long until he does find a new club. He has won 22 major trophies across stints with Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus and is also a regular in France’s squad.

He signed for Juventus from PSG in 2019 and he made a total of 212 appearances for the Turin-based club, scoring 22 goals and making 15 assists in the process.

A versatile player, his best position is in central midfield, but can also play deeper in defensive midfield or even on the left wing if required. Rabiot is effective at both ends of the pitch. Last season, he averaged 1.9 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game.

The Frenchman is exciting to watch on the ball and creates chances for his teammates. He makes 0.8 key passes per match and also isn’t afraid of shooting, averaging 1.2 shots per game.

He has expressed a desire to join a Premier League club in the past, but with Newcastle now out of the race to sign him, his options are becoming slimmer.