Football
Jonathan Johnson, PSG correspondent 5y

Tottenham 'below' PSG's Adrien Rabiot's level - source

Tottenham Hotspur are considered "below" Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot, a source close to the player has told ESPN FC.

The 23-year-old's mother and agent Veronique said earlier this month that her son has taken the "firm and definitive" decision to leave the French champions at the end of the season when his contract expires, while Barcelona have publicly denied that an agreement is in place for him to move to Camp Nou.

The source said that Spurs, as well as Juventus, have been contacted and alerted to his January availability for €10 million after he informed sporting director Antero Henrique that he will not be signing a new deal -- a move that means the player is "indefinitely benched."

However, on top of Rabiot's demands of a €10m annual salary, large signing-on fee and long-term contract loaded with lucrative bonuses, the source close to the player said that the player and his entourage have their sights set higher than the Premier League club -- an opinion likely to raise eyebrows in North London.

The source said that chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi is "irritated" by the negative developments in the Rabiot saga and the fact that the capital club look very likely to lose another top homegrown talent despite pulling out every stop to keep him.

However, Al-Khelaifi is said to be relieved at the prospect of no longer having to deal with Rabiot's agent and mother, who has been troublesome for the PSG board for a number of years.

With Juve yet to enter the January race for Rabiot despite keeping tabs on him earlier in the season, and the player unwelcome at senior level, the source added that a swift resolution to the situation looks unlikely.

Rabiot will probably be left at home when the PSG squad travels to Qatar in mid-January for the club's Winter Tour.

Coach Thomas Tuchel is currently lacking midfield options ahead of January and is having to get by with defender Marquinhos regularly playing in midfield, but said he respects PSG's owners despite the issue.

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