Erik ten Hag made a mistake when he signed Mason Mount before Adrien Rabiot.
Fabrizio Romano claims that Erik ten Hag and the Red Devils pondered bringing in the Juventus midfielder in the summer but ultimately decided against it.
The Frenchman has been on Ten Hag’s mind for some time. The Man Utd manager had earlier expressed interest in Rabiot last year, and this summer, as the 28-year-old’s contract was about to end and he was about to become a free agent, he contemplated signing him once more.
Instead of Rabiot on a Bosman, United ultimately prioritized Mason Mount of Chelsea, spending €64.2 million on the midfielder who only had one year left on his contract.
Beyond money, there is also a case to be made that Rabiot would have been a stronger acquisition from a footballing standpoint. He may not have as much upside as the 24-year-old Mount, but Ten Hag may have preferred the 28-year-old to the ex-Chelsea player, who has so far struggled to make an impact due in part to fitness concerns.
Romano clarified the choice to select Mount over the Frenchman in a video posted to his YouTube page. “Man United had a few alternatives, including Adrien Rabiot. The team did take him into consideration, but Mason Mount was their top priorityBecause Rabiot was willing to consider all offers, they decided against making a major run for him. However, in the end, Juventus’ offer for Rabiot to remain with the team was the best. He was also pleased to take advantage of his opportunity in Italy to continue his experience.
