Aston Villa now want to sign a free agent who Unai Emery knows very well indeed.
Sunday’s 5-0 defeat to Crystal Palace proved the Villans still have a few creases in need of ironing out ahead of next season’s return to the UEFA Champions League.
By the looks of it, Emery and Monchi have decided to focus on the midfield department first.
A deal to bring Ross Barkley back is seemingly close – and now – Aston Villa are trying to sign another central midfielder as well…
Aston Villa want Adrien Rabiot
A story by Tutto Juve now claims that Aston Villa want to sign Adrien Rabiot on a free transfer this summer.
The France international’s contract at Juventus is about to expire, and there will be talks over a renewal.
However, the situation in Turin is very ambiguous as things stand – making it difficult for Rabiot to commit himself to anything – after the sudden departure of Massimiliano Allegri.
As a result, Aston Villa would like to snap the Frenchman up for nothing and take advantage.
Emery will hope to see his personal relationship with Rabiot give Aston Villa the upper hand in this transfer saga – Tutto Juve add that Bayern Munich and Manchester United are also keen.
The Spaniard coached the 29-year-old at PSG, as the man from Saint-Maurice made a total of 89 appearances under the Hondarribia-born technician, scoring nine goals while also providing nine assists.
Sensible signing
In our view, this would be a smart way to prepare for the UEFA Champions League.
Rabiot has made a total of 60 appearances in Europe’s greatest club competition during his time at PSG and Juventus, scoring seven goals while providing four assists.
Therefore, the Frenchman – who Andrea Pirlo once called a “complete” midfielder – would surely be a huge help behind the scenes for Emery in the dressing room, not to mention his talent on the pitch too.
Be sure to keep an eye on this situation, as Rabiot and Barkley could soon arrive at Villa Park to bolster the midfield department – along with another player who boasts vast UEFA Champions League experience…