Arsenal could hand Chelsea a devastating blow in the summer transfer window this summer, with Mikel Arteta seemingly in a position to stifle Thomas Tuchel's Declan Rice backup plan. The West Ham midfielder has been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, but his price tag has become a deterrent despite the Blues' intrigue in the 23-year-old.
And as a result, the west Londoners are said to have delved deeper into the market in search of alternatives for the Rice - one of whom is Adrien Rabiot, who sees his contract at Juventus expire in 12 months.
According to L'Equipe last month, via GFFN, the France international has asked to leave the Italian giants, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle interested. It's said that he's determined to leave Juventus, and the Old Lady have outlined an asking price in the region of £15million.
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Portuguese journalist Pedro Almeida has since reported that Olympique Lyonnais are keeping tabs on Rabiot in the event that Houssem Aouar leaves the club this summer. While rumours of a move to the Premier League have quietened down, Aouar has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal for many years.
So, should Mikel Arteta's side reignite interest in the French midfielder, the Gunners could stifle the Blues' hopes of signing a Rice alternative. Amid the routine commotion of a summer transfer window, Rabiot has confirmed that he won't be joining Juventus on their pre-season tour of the United States due to 'personal reasons'.
The 27-year-old will remain in Italy to work on his fitness instead of participating in the club's upcoming batch of friendly matches. Rabiot posted a message on his Instagram to announce his omission from the travelling squad. He wrote: "In agreement with the club and for personal reasons, I will stay in Italy to finish my physical training."
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