Calciomercato reports that Juventus is looking to replace Adrien Rabiot with Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga. According to the rumour, Arsenal is only one of several European teams interested in Rabiot.
Both Manchester United and Liverpool were said to be interested in signing the Frenchman during the summer, but nothing came of it.
With Rabiot’s current contract at the Allianz Stadium set to end in the summer of 2023, it is said that the Old Lady is hoping to cash in on him as soon as January.
The powerhouses of Italy’s Serie A are said to want a transfer price of €15 million to €20 million to let the in-form France international go in the next January transfer window.
After losing the former PSG midfielder, Juventus has reportedly begun attempting to fill the void. Reportedly, they have settled on Lokonga as the player who would take Rabiot’s spot in the starting lineup.
Juventus want Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga
Last summer, Lokonga moved from his childhood club, Anderlecht, to Arsenal. But he has not been included in Mikel Arteta’s first-team plans since then.
The Belgian international played 24 times for the Gunners last season in all competitions. He has played 13 times so far this season. Arteta has largely used him as a substitute. Thus, bringing him in to play in place of Thomas Partey or Granit Xhaka.
He has a contract with the Emirates until 2026. But the 23-year-old might go in quest of more playing time. Rabiot’s career has been marked by inconsistency. He has often garnered negative attention for all the wrong reasons. He was banned in 2019 for celebrating PSG’s Champions League loss to Manchester United by going to a nightclub.
As a result of being late to an October 2021 team meeting, he was cut from the squad. His career hasn’t gone as smoothly as it should have because of these kinds of mishaps.
What’s next?
Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes was reportedly on Juventus’ summer transfer want list, as revealed by Fabrizio Romano in October. In his piece for Caught Offside, Romano said that two teams, including the Italian powerhouses, were interested in signing the defender.
The Brazil international has committed his future to the north London giants by signing a new deal at the Emirates. He’s played a crucial role in Arsenal’s success this season in the Premier League, where they now sit atop the standings.
Magalhaes has suited up for 20 of the Gunners’ games this season. All 14 times he was used in a Premier League game, he started. He scored once, against Chelsea, and twice, against Fulham.
