Massimiliano Allegri wants to bring Adrien Rabiot to AC Milan, but there are some obstacles which must be overcome first.
La Gazzetta dello Sport report that now Milan have given the green light to the sale of Tijjani Reijnders to Manchester City, the management are at work to try rebuild the midfield and Luka Modric alone will not be enough.
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The idea is to sign a more physical midfielder, with an eye for goal. In other words, exactly what Rabiot gave to Allegri’s Juventus before they parted ways.
Allegri calls Rabiot
Reijnders’ farewell will bring Milan around €72m including bonuses (mostly easily achievable). In the fixed part there is a small percentage (just under 10%) that will go to AZ Alkmaar, the club from which the Rossoneri bought Tiji for just over €20m in the summer of 2023.
What interests Milan fans is now how the club intend to reinvest the proceeds. Starting, naturally, with the one who will be the Dutchman’s heir. In Allegri’s wishes, it would Rabiot, who is currently tied to Marseille by a contract until June 2026.
However, the former Juventus man has a verbal agreement with the French club: if he wants to leave, €10.5m would be enough as a transfer fee. It is an almost symbolic price for a player who helped them finish second in Ligue 1 and thus qualify for the next Champions League.
Here, the Champions League – even more than the salary (Rabiot earns €3.5m net per season, with easy bonuses to reach €6m) – is the real obstacle. Adrien would like to experience the thrill of playing in it for Marseille, his family’s favorite team, under Roberto De Zerbi at the Velodrome.
Allegri, however, is Allegri. The relationship is strong and Rabiot is seriously thinking about it, teased by the possibility of working together again like at Juve.
The alternatives
Milan, and in particular the sporting director Igli Tare, must obviously think about other names too, because reinforcing the midfield is not only a desire but now an absolute necessity.
For example, a Lazio midfield duo are liked. Nicolò Rovella is one of the names, who Allegri had the opportunity to see up close especially in the summer of 2022, before being loaned to Monza. Matteo Guendouzi is the other, French like Rabiot.
Rovella has an advantage: he is Italian, a detail not to be underestimated for a team that needs to increase the Azzurri quota in the squad. Guendouzi, however, reflects more the player who can adapt quickly to Allegri’s football, bringing running, grit and power to the midfield.
Abroad, Raphael Onyedika of Club Brugge is also being monitored. He has been on Milan’s radar since his time playing for Midtyjlland, in Denmark, but he has a drawback: he is a non-EU citizen and would occupy a slot.
Guendouzi? F*** no! Just take Rovella and move on to others targets.
Yep. Arsenal reject with a stupid name and a stupid haircut.
You got me for “a stupid haircut” lol. I though it was only me hating his hair
Well… TBH, you can count me in as well. 😀
Rovella is the man but he should be hardest to get
Rabiot soap opera pt.2…zzzzz
I love how many articles here have a headline like “it’s done except two small details” and the article itself says “the two things are the clubs agreeing and the player agreeing”
I’d be surprised if Rabiot wanted to eschew a UCL campaign with Marseille to move to us but we’ll see.
Out of football ideas Allegri, almost retiring Modric, non prime Rabiot…… I see the future is bleak
Literally anyone who watched France play yesterday saw just how useless Rabiot is. And guendouzi is actually even worse. Go sign Ricci, Frendrup, Novella, not these has been below average clowns