Adrien Rabiot has put Manchester United and other English clubs back on alert by declaring he wants to play in the Premier League.
The 27-year-old is in the final year of his current contract at Juventus and from January 1 is able to discuss a free transfer with clubs outside Italy ahead of the summer.
Juventus were prepared to let Rabiot leave in August and United were locked in talks for some time but a move never materalised, reportedly over the midfielder’s wage demands, and he has reiterated his desire to play in England.
Rabiot was asked about his time at Manchester City, during his youth career, and said: “It was very good experience. I didn’t do a whole season, though. Everything went well whilst I was there.
“I really liked the atmosphere, I liked the atmosphere around football. It’s really something that is only in England. It’s different from France and Italy.
“I have always said that I’d like to play in England in my career. Will it happen at the end of my career in Juventus? I don’t know. But yeah I still have that desire [to play in the Premier League]. I’d like to evolve in the Premier League.”
Asked if he had a preferred club, he said: “I haven’t got a Premier League team in mind right now. I haven’t chosen a team or anything. It’s a general thing, it’s the championship, it’s the level of play that’s going on, that’s what attracts me most. I think it corresponds to my qualities.”
Rabiot will be in action this weekend when France take on England in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
The world champions have been in fine form during the tournament, thanks largely to the form of Kylian Mbappe. The forward is the top scorer at the World Cup, with five goals to his name, but Rabiot has dismissed claims France are too reliant on him.
“We take it as a real positive to have him in the team,” said Rabiot. “He is concentrated, focused completely on scoring and we are going to try to do everything we can to put him in the best possible positions to score.
“We are not dependent on him. He has amazing potential and we know that the goals can come from him. He is able to be very fast and make great assists, but we also have other players who can make a difference on the pitch in another way.
“We have a great weapon in Kylian and we are not going to deprive ourselves of that, for sure.”
