Repeatedly linked with Arsenal in the past, Adrien Rabiot is starting to look like just the kind of player the club need right now.

Rabiot currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain, and he’s a key part of their side. The midfielder has five goals and six assists in 39 appearances in the French capital this season.

It might be hard for the Ligue 1 side to hold onto the France international though, if he really wants a move.

The 22-year-old’s contract expires in 2019, and there are sure to be a number of clubs following that situation.

According to transfermarkt, his current market value is around £40.5m.

What makes Rabiot so valuable?

Rabiot is a mix of physicality and technical ability.

Standing at 6’2″, he’s not an easy man to shrug off. He can shield the ball well, or skip past anyone who tries to press him.

He uses those physical advantages well defensively, and this season so far he’s made 62 tackles, 33 interceptions, 39 blocks and 26 clearances.

All of that is in addition to his fantastic passing ability. Across all his Ligue 1 and Champions League matches this season, Rabiot has 92.4% pass accuracy. The vast majority of those passes are forward passes as well, so it’s not just a case of him playing it safe.

As mentioned previously, he also contributes a fair amount to PSG’s goalscoring. 11 goal contributions by March for a largely defensive midfielder is an excellent return.

Arguably that’s the exact type of player Arsenal need. Someone who is comfortable and capable in their defensive duties, who can also play their way out of danger and help out offensively when necessary.

The club will have a lot of competition for Rabiot’s signature now, but his expiring contract could provide Arsenal’s best opportunity to get him. We’ll see if they can take it.

Check out the below video to see Rabiot in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq_1x1qo950