Football
Jonathan Johnson, PSG correspondent 6y

Adrien Rabiot close to signing new Paris Saint-Germain contract - source

SINGAPORE -- Paris Saint-Germain's Adrien Rabiot has moved a step closer to rejecting interest from the likes of Barcelona and renewing his contract with the French champions after coach Thomas Tuchel won the midfielder over, a source close to the player has revealed to ESPN FC.

Rabiot, 23, captained PSG in all three of their International Champions Cup (ICC) matches and Tuchel has spoken in glowing terms about the youth academy graduate while in Austria and Singapore.

According to the source, after initial doubts, the German has won the confidence of the France international, who should end speculation over his future once the squad arrives back in Paris.

Rabiot and his mother Veronique, who serves as his agent, are due to meet with PSG chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi after the Trophee des Champions in Shenzhen, China, per the source, with improved terms not expected to be difficult to agree upon.

The player should then remain an integral part of Tuchel's plans as he tries to reshape Les Parisiens' formation.

Meanwhile, Valencia owner Peter Lim and PSG sporting director Antero Henrique being at the National Stadium in Singapore was no coincidence -- the pair are in talks, along with Los Che's director general Mateu Alemany, over the permanent transfer of Goncalo Guedes.

According to a source close to the potential deal, the Portuguese transfer guru returned to Paris from Singapore not long after the Ligue 1 giants arrived to get on with pressing business and has returned in time to negotiate with Lim and Alemany before travelling on to Shenzhen, China, for the Trophee des Champions.

Along with unwanted Jese Rodriguez, Guedes was left at home by PSG to train as Henrique lines up moves for the pair and although Tuchel was keen to retain the Portugal international, the former Benfica man's desire to join Valencia permanently after spending last term there on loan proved too strong.

The Spaniards, who the source said were previously reluctant to go above €40 million and were keen on another loan, are now expected to close a deal in the region of €50m -- possibly as early as this week.

Meanwhile, Tuchel has confirmed that superstar Neymar is expected for "day one" in China, which is Wednesday, but the Brazil international's participation in the Trophee des Champions clash with Monaco is in doubt.

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