Arsenal Have To Be Clever With Adrien Rabiot Loan

Arsenal is quickly nearing a deal for young French midfielder Adrien Rabiot as Arsene Wenger looks to secure his midfield for years to come.

Arsenal have been keenly interested in Adrien Rabiot for about a year now. However, he has always seen his future in the French capital, where he signed his first professional contract. Through all the developmental process, Rabiot always remained committed to PSG’s cause.

However, now that Rabiot has tasted the first team and realized that he is good enough as is, he wants to remain in the first team, something that is not going to happen at PSG. As such, he has been making some rather blunt statements about his questionable future at PSG and everyone from the fans to the president have taken notice and expressed their distaste for his ‘lack of respect’.

What all of this amounts to is that Arsenal is now ready to pluck the 20 year old midfielder from his Paris confines. Multiple sources have cited the British press in their claims that Rabiot’s agent and mother, Veronique, flew into London to finalize a loan deal that will last until June. This would give Arsenal another clutch midfield option at a time when they are extremely lacking.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

However, a straightforward loan deal doesn’t make all that much sense for Arsenal or for Rabiot. Rabiot will have about a month to get acclimated to the first team before Jack Wilshere, Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla all start sauntering back. Then Rabiot is out on the bench again, just like PSG. By that standard, a loan makes little sense. He is just going to come to Arsenal to meet more frustrations and then go back to the source of his frustrations come June.

There has to be more to this potential loan deal than that. Rabiot is a fantastic signing for Arsenal if he is penned to a permanent deal. Then he can be a key piece of Arsenal’s future as well as being a key piece of the present. After his June loan would end, Arteta, Rosicky and Flamini will all have moved on, leaving just Elneny and whoever else is brought in to fill the gaps.

More from Arsenal Transfer Rumours

• Arsenal Transfers: Emile Smith Rowe could leave club before summer deadline
• Arsenal Transfers: Gabriel will not be leaving this summer
• Why Arsenal could sell Folarin Balogun to London rivals
• 5 defenders Arsenal could sign after Jurrien Timber injury
• Why was Kieran Tierney left out of Arsenal’s matchday squad?

Rabiot can have a place on this Arsenal team, but it seems unlikely that he will have much of a place until after the summer. There may very well be something built into the loan that gives the option to make the deal permanent. There almost has to be something along those lines because a straightforward loan deal as they have described does not make sense.

When you get down to it, Rabiot only has to wait until Thiago Motta, who is 33, moves on. Rabiot would seemingly be next in line. That leads us to wonder if what has happened at PSG this year has left him so disenchanted with his first club that he just wants out.

Whatever the case, Arsenal would be making a fantastic investment, no matter the ends. Rabiot is just 20 years old and is already contributing three tackles and two interceptions per game from the base of midfield. His composure on the ball and in passing lanes is supreme as well, as he maintains a 90% pass completion.

Next: Arsenal's 30 Greatest Transfers

Hopefully Rabiot is at least given an opportunity at Arsenal. It seems like most people who come to the Emirates tend to enjoy quite a bit.