Barcelona have decided not to sign Adrien Rabiot this summer, according to reports in Spain, leaving the door open for Arsenal and other clubs to make a move.

AS report that after months of talks and visits from Rabiot’s mother (and agent), Barcelona have decided they’re going to pull the plug on the transfer of the Paris Saint-Germain star.

Sources in the club reveal that the La Liga side are very happy with the performances of young players like Carles Aleñá and Frenkie de Jong, and they weren’t so keen on paying a substantial signing-on fee for a player they didn’t really need. “The issue is buried”, according to AS sources.

Meanwhile, there’s seemingly no hope of a new contract for Rabiot in Paris, and he’s been left out of the PSG squad entirely this year. With Barcelona stacked in midfield, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see another club swoop in.

The French international was previously linked with a move to Arsenal, despite mixed reports on his relationship with head coach and Rabiot’s former boss Unai Emery. Over the summer, RMC reported that The Gunners and Barcelona were the two leading candidates in the race for the 23-year-old.

A defensive midfielder with a fantastic passing range and seven goals and nine assists since August 2017, Rabiot could add a lot to Arsenal’s midfield.

Plus, with his deal expiring in June, the transfer team would only have to negotiate a signing on fee with the player, rather than convincing a top European club to sell him. We’ll see what happens.