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Scouting For Mourinho: 327 Passes, 91% Accuracy, One More Midfielder To Add To Chelsea’s Growing List

 Adrien Rabiot
Adrien Rabiot

If reports from Metro are to be believed, Chelsea are ready to open talks with PSG over a deal to sign midfielder Adrien Rabiot. While this might have some dealings with PSG’s interest on Chelsea outcast Jaun Mata, Blues manager Jose Mourinho is a huge admirer of the 18 year old sensation. According to the same report from Metro, the 18-year-old Frenchman is widely seen as one of the finest young talents in Ligue 1, and has caught the attention of a number of a number of Premier League clubs including those of Arsenal and Tottenham.

Jose Mourinho is ready to sanction a £10m raid, and is hopeful that the Parisians will opt to sell. Rabiot himself has hinted (according to this report from express) that he is ready to leave the Parc des Princes if the club continue to sign midfield players. The youngster is currently battling with a number of experienced international stars, which has limited his game time but given that into introspection he would no way break into Chelsea’s first eleven given the plethora of midfielders Mourinho has at his disposal.

But who exactly in Adrien Rabiot? This is how Bleacher Report describes the next big thing in World Football:

“Make no mistake, he may be just 18 years old, but Rabiot is one smooth operator. The Frenchman is calm in possession and at times has a swagger not too different to his PSG teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Predominantly left footed, he has all the quality associated with players of a lefty persuasion, and while he has much to learn in the game, there’s no doubting there is plenty in his repertoire right now to command a place in the starting line-up of most clubs.”

While Frank Lampard isn’t getting any younger and his movements being limited due to his age, this is great news for the club who are willing to invest in the youth products. With Mata being discarded, which is a huge shame for the player and the club, PSG might be tempted to sell a future star given they are ready to be more pragmatic and concentrate on their present.

Now the common question arises, another midfielder to add to the list of growing midfielders at Chelsea? Well, looking closely Rabiot is a typical midfield man who operates more in a deeper role while Chelsea’s midfield names include the likes of Hazard, Mata, Schurrle and Kevin De Bryune who play on the wings more often than not. Rabiot’s main competition would be from Lampard, Essien, Ramires and Obi Mikel along with the injured Marco Van Ginkel. While Lampard and Essien are out of the question after this season, Rabiot would be on par with Van Ginkel to compete with Ramires and Mikel which should give the youngster a good chance of first team berths given Mourinho’s tendency to rotate his players. All in all, Rabiot does look like a decent option to add to the plethora of midfielder the Blues possess.

Let’s look at some of Rabiot’s stats now. Stats courtesy of Squawka.

Rabiot has been capped 12 times this season during which he has scored 1 goal and have created 4 more chances. However, one of the key stats is his ability to pick out key passes and finding them with ease. So far this season, he has accumulated 327 passes having a 91% accuracy rate, a testament of his dynamic vision and control in the midfield. Although, his goal conversion rate and shot accuracy are below par, at 18, Rabiot has time on his side to work on those traits of his game.

Watch this sensational goal from Rabiot before you leave: