Adrien Rabiot, a transfer target for Manchester United, and Juventus are still working out the details of his current contract extension.

The player’s current contract expires at the conclusion of this season, and Juve is in desperate need of a player to agree to terms on a new, according to Italian media reports.

United showed interest in Rabiot last summer, but negotiations broke down over pay, making a deal impossible to complete.

One of the top midfielders in Serie A, the Frenchman went on to enjoy a fantastic season with Juventus.

Journalists claim that Juventus allowing a player of Rabiot’s caliber to potentially depart for free “doesn’t seem real.”

Rabiot is apparently open to staying in Italy, but his choice will depend on whether Juve makes it into the Champions League for the upcoming season.

Halfway through the season, Juventus received a 15-point deduction that made it uncertain whether they would qualify for Europe’s elite tournament.

Eight points behind AC Milan, who hold the final Champions League position, Max Allegri’s team is currently seventh in Serie A.

The Europa League appears to be Juve’s best route to qualification because the champions are guaranteed a spot in the Champions League the following year.

Unusually, United and Juventus were placed on the same side of the draw, putting the two teams on pace to face off in the semifinals should they advance past their respective quarterfinal opponents.

If United were to defeat Juventus this season and get to the final, they would also give themselves a boost in their pursuit of Rabiot.

The midfielder has scored 10 goals for Juventus this year and had a good World Cup, with France only missing out on the championship by a heartbreaking penalty shootout.

Rabiot might be available as a free agent in the summer, so a deal would provide Erik ten Hag an affordable way to improve his quantity and quality.

However, if United decides to pursue Rabiot, they will be up against European powerhouses who are also keenly following his position.