Report Claims PSG Tried to Swap Adrien Rabiot for Sergio Busquets This Summer

PSG are reported to have made Barcelona an offer for Sergio Busquets during the summer, and included Barca target Adrien Rabiot in the offer as they unsuccessfully attempted to lure the La Masia graduate to France.

According to a report in Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, the French champions rebuffed Barca's repeated interest in signing Rabiot, who is out of contract at the end of the season, before doing a U-turn and offering him up as a sweetener in a potential deal for Busquets.

Quality Sport Images/GettyImages

Barcelona, however, were reportedly not interested in Rabiot if it meant losing Busquets, who plays in a similar holding midfield position.

PSG now face losing academy graduate Rabiot for free if he does not renew terms between now and January, when he will be free to open pre-contract negotiations with other clubs. 

This is not a prospect that will encourage those of a PSG persuasion, as Rabiot has become a player of steadily increasing importance in recent years after making his first team breakthrough in the 2012/13 season. 

Manchester City and Spurs are among those hoping to capitalise on the situation, with Rabiot reported to be unsettled and keen to move on in the summer. 

Should Rabiot move on, it would come as no surprise to see PSG reignite their interest in Busquets, given that they would then be short of a world class defensive midfielder.

Converted midfielder Marquinhos, who has stepped out of defence to feature there on occasion this season, may offer another solution, as the French champions are not short of centre backs - with Thiago Silva, Presnel Kimpembe and the arriving Thilo Kehrer all offering first team options in that position.