Newcastle United were not alone in enduring a slow summer transfer window.
While a relative lack of action across the Premier League and beyond does not make an underwhelming transfer window any easier to accept for Newcastle, it does at least provide some context.
Indeed, other than a few exceptions, it was not really the kind of transfer window we’ve generally become accustomed to.
Big name players did not necessarily get the moves they were being touted for all summer. Victor Osimhen, after all, ended up on loan at Galatasaray despite links with almost every top club, while there were no Premier League buyers for Ivan Toney.
Though Alan Shearer was perhaps right to point out that Eddie Howe had not been backed this summer, it’s not as if it was a normal window for most clubs.
Take Adrien Rabiot as an example.
A high-profile free agent, the French international was linked with a move to Newcastle but remains without a club.
France manager Didier Deschamps has now shared his opinion on the matter.
Didier Deschamps now says Adrien Rabiot is in an “embarrassing situation” after links with Newcastle
Speaking ahead of his side’s Nations League clash with Italy on Friday night, Deschamps spoke of the midfielder’s struggles to find a new employer.
“Adrien Rabiot has a somewhat embarrassing situation,” he said (via Fabrizio Romano on X).
“His contract was expiring and he was solicited by several teams… but now he’s without a team and doesn’t train in a group.
“I hope he can quickly choose a club that can then bring him back to us.”
Adrien Rabiot wants a move to the Premier League
It will be fascinating to see where Rabiot ends up. A hugely experienced midfielder to have already turned out for Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, he’s surely one of the most high-profile names on the free agency market.
Still, Fabrizio Romano has previously claimed the 29-year-old is particularly keen on a move to the Premier League, which obviously limits where he can go.
Surely, a player as celebrated as Rabiot will not be without a club for long.
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