Newcastle United have been strongly linked with a move for Juventus star Adrien Rabiot, and a fresh report has revealed that PIF have taken their first step towards signing him in January.

What type of player is Adrien Rabiot?

At the Allianz Stadium, Rabiot is naturally a central, box-to-box midfielder who first joined the Serie A side from Paris Saint-Germain back in 2019, where he’s since gone on to make a total of 183 appearances to date, but there’s a chance that he could soon be heading for the exit door.

The France international’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and having firmly established himself as Massimiliano Allegri’s overall top-performing player so far this term with a WhoScored match rating of 7.50, he won’t be short of a potential suitor should he depart.

Back in June, Eddie Howe’s side saw an offer turned down for the 28-year-old, but recent reports have claimed that the black and white stripes remain interested and are, as it stands, the second favourites to secure his services behind Manchester United.

Now, a new update has emerged which would suggest that the northeast outfit are indeed firmly in the running to land their target and they have made a significant stride towards registering their admiration ahead of the window opening at the start of the new year.

Are Newcastle signing Adrien Rabiot?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato.it (via Sport Witness), Rabiot has "received requests" from the Premier League, including one specifically from Newcastle United.

The Magpies are "looking at the possibility of exploiting" the central talisman's contract situation knowing that he could be available for a cut-price, and whilst it's stated that he is currently in negotiations over signing fresh terms, Allegri's side are "shaking" knowing that his long-term admirers could "make a move" in January.

How many trophies has Adrien Rabiot won?

Since the start of his career, Rabiot has secured an outstanding 24 trophies for both club and country so he knows exactly what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level, possessing the winning mentality required to come in and push a young Newcastle squad up one more level.

Sponsored by Adidas, the left-footed ace is strong in the defensive aspect of his game having made 16 tackles so far this season which is more than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, highlighting his desire to get stuck in, but he’s equally capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch.

Juventus’ £149k-per-week earner already has three involvements (two assists and one goal) to his name in six outings in the Serie A, with his recent form over in Italy having seen him hailed a player “reborn” by members of the media.

Finally, Rabiot has the ability to operate slightly deeper in front of the backline and on the left-side of the midfield alongside his usual role in the centre of the park, so his versatility will be yet another attractive attribute to Howe, making this a no-brainer of a deal to pursue.