Juventus have said that they continue to count on midfielder Adrien Rabiot, despite rumours linking him to the Premier League.
The 25-year-old arrived in Turin last summer from Paris Saint-Germain on a Bosman move but has struggled to establish himself in Maurizio Sarri’s plans.
With the player reportedly discontent due to a lack of playing time, he caused further controversy in May when he refused to cut his wages in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
This increased whispers that he could be on his way to England, with former PSG boss Carlo Ancelotti among the more interested parties with Everton.
Although the player seems to have re-established himself in Juve’s plans, starting in victories over Bologna and Lecce since the coronavirus suspension of the league, his long-term future remains uncertain.
Seeking to put an end to the speculation, Fabio Paratici, the technical coordinator of the Serie A side, has spoken of the player’s situation.
“Let’s not forget that Rabiot is in his first year in Italy, and the first year is always special,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “At the start of the season, we could see the same doubts over Matthijs de Ligt, who happened to be the best defender in the Champions League [with Ajax last season] at the age of 19. Now I see there is a different opinion of him.
“Rabiot also arrived from PSG after six months of inactivity. He had to catch up with his physical condition. That said, he is a great player, someone who is very important for Juventus today and will be for the future.”
Juve, however, are closing in on the addition of another central midfield player, with Goal able to confirm on Thursday that Barcelona player Arthur has agreed terms with the club, albeit with Miralem Pjanic likely to move in the opposite direction to Camp Nou.
The Turin club are closing in on another Serie A title as they lead the standings by seven points following a 4-0 victory over Lecce on Friday, although Lazio, the side who sit in second, have a game in hand against Fiorentina on Saturday.