Adrien Rabiot lifts lid on failed Manchester United move

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Adrien Rabiot insists he has always been fully focused on his role at Juventus despite coming close to a Manchester United move in the summer transfer window.

United agreed a £15million fee rising to £20m with Juventus for Rabiot back in August, but sources close to the deal said the France international wanted an ‘obscene’ salary.

Rabiot’s mother, Veronique, negotiated on her son’s behalf and was always viewed as a stumbling block in discussions due to her fearsome reputation.

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United football director John Murtough flew to Turin in an attempt to close a deal for Rabiot after United agreed a fee with Juve on August 6, though no breakthrough could be reached.

Despite being deemed surplus to requirements in the summer, Rabiot has started the season in fine form for the Italian giants, notching two goals from seven appearances already.

Now the French midfielder has been asked about his proposed summer move and how close he came to moving to Old Trafford.

"There was a lot of talk, but I’ve always been focused both in training and in the game," he said at a pre-match press conference this week. "The renewal? I don’t know. At the moment, there are other things to think about. I’m focused on the pitch and doing well for the team, to get them out of the difficult and then we’ll see what happens.

“Honestly, I’m not even thinking about the World Cup. I think it’s the same thing for the others. We need to stay focused on the club.”

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