Transfer Centre

Juventus 'identify Chelsea's Jorginho as Adrien Rabiot replacement'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 13 August 2022

Juventus 'identify Jorginho as Rabiot replacement'

Juventus reportedly identify Jorginho as their first-choice replacement for Adrien Rabiot, who continues to be linked with a move to Manchester United.

Juventus have reportedly earmarked Chelsea midfielder Jorginho as an ideal replacement for Adrien Rabiot.

Rabiot has now entered the final year of his contract with the Old Lady and is understood to be in advanced discussions over a move to Manchester United.

The Red Devils are believed to have agreed an initial £15m to sign the France international, which could rise to as much as £20m with performance-related add-ons.

Man United are now negotiating with the player's mother to try to thrash out an agreement on personal terms, but Rabiot's hefty demands are allegedly holding up a move.

Nevertheless, Juventus are seemingly resigned to losing Rabiot in the summer market and are therefore set to intensify their midfield search with Paul Pogba also on the sidelines.

Juventus' Adrien Rabiot pictured on January 12, 2022 © Reuters

According to PA journalist Nick Purewal, Massimiliano Allegri's side will step up their efforts to bring Jorginho back to Italy if Rabiot completes a switch to the Theatre of Dreams in the coming weeks.

Purewal adds that Juventus are optimistic about their chances of prising Jorginho away from Chelsea, who are at risk of losing the Italy international on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Jorginho's exploits for Napoli earned him a £51.3m move to Chelsea in the summer of 2018, and the 30-year-old announced his desire to remain at the club in pre-season.

"Of course [I would stay longer], I love Chelsea. I feel very well here and of course, I'd like to stay. But you know, a lot is going on and we don't know. I have a contract and I love to be here. So I don't think about moving anywhere."

When asked about the reports linking him with a return to Serie A, Jorginho added: "Every single year [there's speculation]! I don't think like this. I just think about where I am and focus 100%.

Jorginho celebrates scoring for Chelsea against Brentford in the EFL Cup in December 2021 © Reuters

"The motivation is that I do what I love. This was my dream when I was a kid. I dreamt that I could win – and so if I win the same title it is still special. I look at my medals every day and love them. It's why I want to win more.

"One of the [motivations is to win the Premier League], I still have a few left. I need to work really hard to achieve those trophies and that is what I do. What really counts is the results at the end of the season. So I prefer to talk at the end of the season about what we've done."

Jorginho played the full 90 minutes and scored Chelsea's only goal in last weekend's opening 1-0 Premier League win over Everton, which represented his 27th strike from 189 appearances for the Blues.

Chelsea also have N'Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mateo Kovacic and Conor Gallagher competing for spots in the engine room, but the latter's immediate future is being called into question again.

Another loan spell at Crystal Palace has been mooted for the 22-year-old, who will endeavour to earn more Premier League minutes in Sunday's London derby with Tottenham Hotspur.

The Blues are still being tipped to bolster their engine room with the signing of Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona, but Thomas Tuchel has played down his side's hopes of signing a new midfielder in the current window.