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UPDATE: This article was originally published on December 18, but the story has gotten new attention today after ESPN reported something similar from “a source close to the player.” ESPN doesn’t say who the source is, but it’s awfully similar to what Jonathan Johnson says in the tweet below. If Barcelona bail, however, who knows whether Spurs will continue to be “below” Adrien & Veronique’s estimations.
Adrien Rabiot looked like the perfect Tottenham Hotspur signing. The PSG midfielder is young and supremely talented, but embroiled in a nasty contract dispute with the Ligue 1 club that looks likely to result in him moving for free to new club this summer.
Adrien Rabiot has been excluded from playing matches for the PSG 1st team as contract talks break down completely https://t.co/QLHLQroKkD
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) December 17, 2018
Midfielder? Talented? Free? Sure sounds like a Daniel Levy Special to me! And considering Spurs and PSG are on friendly terms after Tottenham has recently purchased Serge Aurier and Lucas Moura, I’d be willing to bet the Parisian club would be more than willing to let Spurs take its latest problem child off their hands.
Unfortunately, it looks like that won’t happen. According to French outlet Le10Sport, Rabiot isn’t interested in a move to north London.
The Le10Sport article doesn’t say it, but France-based journalist Jonathan Johnson has added some details, saying that Rabiot’s agent and mother Veronique has dismissed Spurs as not prestigious a club for her son, and is demanding wages in excess of £170k/week.
I don't want to burst the Spurs bubble, but the Rabiot 'clan' see Spurs as "below Adrien." True, PSG are open to selling to Spurs as an "ally" club, but Veronique also will not budge on her €10m per year in basic salary, plus significant bonuses & a sizeable signing on fee.
— Jonathan Johnson (@Jon_LeGossip) December 17, 2018
Normally I’d suggest that £170k/wk would be worth it under Tottenham’s new wage structure, especially if Spurs could get him on a free transfer. Rabiot would waltz into Spurs’ starting lineup, and central midfield is an area of particular need right now, obviously. But it sure seems like Rabiot isn’t at all interested in Spurs, even with a shiny new stadium and world-class manager.
To which I say: too bad for you, Adrien. We never liked you anyway. And no, you can’t eat lunch with us either, go find another table! *sobs*