Cast your mind back to the January transfer window, and you’ll remember Everton were linked with pretty much everyone in Italy.
The arrival of Carlo Ancelotti at the club was the root cause, with Everton’s transfer targets suddenly in a far higher bracket than what came before.
Adrien Rabiot is the perfect case in point. Before Ancelotti rocked up at Goodison Park, the idea of the Frenchman making the move would have been laughed out of hand.
Ancelotti, though, changed that. Now Everton have a big name manager that players want to play for and are willing to back him with big-money purchases.
Thus, throughout January Everton were rumoured to be trying to get the midfielder from Juventus and were willing to pay all sorts of money, in transfer fees and wages, to make it happen.
Ultimately they never got him, with Rabiot instead staying at Juve and trying to fight his way into Maurizio Sarri’s starting XI.
That’s not gone to plan, though, with CalcioMercato.it now saying that his future looks like being away from Turin.
Rabiot, they say, has been a ‘wrong purchase’ and a poor performance in the defeat to Lyon in the Champions League last night could be the final nail in the coffin.
Finding a club for him will not be easy for chief Fabio Paratici, though, as Rabiot is currently on €7m per year (after tax) and Juventus want around €30m for him as well, although that could be lowered to facilitate a deal.
That is something both clubs would have to consider, notably Everton, as they can ill afford more transfer mistakes moving forward.
There’s no denying Rabiot would be an excellent signing and a vast improvement in what Everton currently have, with the midfield the weakest part of their team by some distance.
Rabiot would be an instant upgrade on their current options, and a viable partner/competitor for Andre Gomes if Ancelotti is to stick with the current 4-4-2.
At 24-years-old he also fits in the bracket of player Everton want to sign too, that is young, upwardly mobile players who can become stars at the club, as opposed to already established big names.
€30m is a high price to pay, never mind the reported €7m after in wages. Anything near that would put Rabiot in the top earners at Goodison Park; indeed it would likely put him at the top of the pile.
Everton may consider that risky, especially as he’s a player who’s history is littered with rumours and doubts about his attitude.
They, namely Carlo Ancelotti and Marcel Brands, would likely prefer to sign someone younger who they can develop, although the lure of a big-name, marquee signing like Rabiot can always put pay to such ideas.
Everton scout Braga once again, third visit in three months (at least) – So @Sean_Lunt has a look at possible targets.https://t.co/VyF4KvBq9z #efc #coyb
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) February 27, 2020
