Football
Jonathan Johnson, PSG correspondent 5y

Paris Saint-Germain and Adrien Rabiot no closer on contract dispute - source

Adrien Rabiot is no closer to resolving the question of his Paris Saint-Germain future as the homegrown midfielder continues to rebuff the French champions' improved offers of a long-term contract, a source close to the club has told ESPN FC.

Rabiot, 23, is in the final 12 months of his current deal and there is no shortage of suitors with Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur all reportedly interested by the prospect of acquiring such a talented player either as a free agent or for a reduced transfer fee.

According to the source, despite Rabiot's agent mother not being on good terms with PSG's sporting director Antero Henrique, talks are still ongoing with the player's camp wanting a yearly salary of at least €10 million, including a significant signing on fee.

The Ligue 1 giants are not unwilling to reward the youth academy graduate for his development since signing his last contract, added the source, but are wary of the impact that such a massive leap from his meagre current wage would have on the overall bill with UEFA's financial fair play (FFP) in mind.

Rabiot remains open to extending his stay at Parc des Princes and his relationship with present coach Thomas Tuchel is a particularly strong influence in that respect, but he still wants to see how the Champions League group stage pans out before signing.

The source indicated that although PSG are not keen on having to wait that long to sew Rabiot's future up, they realise that they will have a better idea by then of how active they will be able to be in the January transfer window and how much wiggle room there is within FFP.

Barca and Juve are both keeping a close eye on the Frenchman's situation, although the Italians are more interested in him as a potential free agent -- so from next January onwards.

Both clubs have watched Rabiot in recent weeks, said the source, although he was suspended last Sunday when the Bianconeri's Fabio Paratici was spotted in the stands for PSG's 5-0 thrashing of Lyon.

Tuchel has rewarded his non-international players with a full week of rest after a busy start to the season and Rabiot, fatigued of late, has headed to Florida for some deserved rest.

Meanwhile, French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet has told RTL of his plans to sit down with the player at the end of this year to see how he feels about international duty.

Le Graet said that, depending on the outcome, it will then be up to France coach Didier Deschamps to decide Rabiot's future with Les Bleus after he rejected a reserve role for this summer's World Cup.

Per the source, PSG have been keeping tabs on Genk's Norway international midfielder Sander Berge ahead of a potential January move.

They also returned to former target Danilo Pereira of Porto and Portugal, who was scouted during last weekend's 1-0 loss away at Benfica in Portugal's biggest domestic clash -- O Classico.

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