Tottenham Hotspur 'leading race for Adrien Rabiot'

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly regarded as the frontrunners to sign Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

The 27-year-old has been a regular for both club and country during 2022-23, with 16 starts being made for Juve before the World Cup.

As a result of his performances for the Italian giants, Rabiot was rewarded with regular game for France in Qatar, making six appearances as Les Bleus lost in the final to Argentina.

Despite his reputation only being enhanced this campaign, Rabiot remains increasingly likely to depart Juventus during one of the next two transfer windows.

The former Paris Saint-Germain man has just over six months remaining on his contract and it has been suggested that there is a significant difference between his wage demands and what Juventus are willing to pay.

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That has effectively left a wide array of top European clubs assessing whether they want to try to sign Rabiot on a free transfer in the summer, or attempt to jump the queue in January for a cut-price fee.

According to Corriere dello Sport, much will depend on the size of any financial proposal which is put on the table at the turn of the year.

The report suggests that club officials may be ready to cash in on Rabiot if they receive an offer of €15m (£13.2m) over the coming weeks.

Spurs are allegedly viewed as the favourites to eventually win the race for the player, helped by their links through managing director Fabio Paratici, who was previously at Juventus.

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Now that Oliver Skipp has returned to full fitness, Antonio Conte is well-stocked for options with Rodrigo Bentancur, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Yves Bissouma regarded as his top three choices.

However, Conte has sometimes used a central three in a 3-5-2 formation, arguably increasing the need for more depth in that particular position.

Arsenal are reportedly ready to rival their North London neighbours in the race for Rabiot as they bid to strengthen their own midfield crop in January.

Barcelona are also said to be willing to sign Rabiot in 2023, providing that it is on a free transfer during the summer window.