Rabiot credits club icon Buffon for making move to Juventus

TURIN, Italy (AP) — New Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot said conversations with club great Gianluigi Buffon helped convince him to sign with the Italian champion.

Rabiot was presented to the media on Tuesday, after completing his free transfer move from Paris Saint-Germain the previous evening.

Rabiot spent last season with Buffon at PSG and they could be teammates again if the goalkeeper rejoins Juventus for what would be an 18th season at the Serie A side.

“I have to say that last season I spoke a lot with Gigi,” Rabiot said. “He gave me so much advice, we talked a lot about Juventus obviously because he knows the squad well, the club.

“He was the best person I could ask advice from or talk to. His opinion matters a lot to me … so certainly he had a part to play in my decision.”

The 24-year-ol Rabiot said there were many other reasons he decided to join Juventus, including the lure of playing with Cristiano Ronaldo, and also because the club is “a level higher than PSG.”

Rabiot spent most of his career at PSG, apart from a brief loan spell at Toulouse. He played 240 games for the club and helped it to a number of domestic trophies, including five league titles.

However, Rabiot has not played since December and ran down his contract in a troubled last season in Paris after contract talks, involving his mother Veronique as agent, stalled.

“The past six months were difficult both on a sporting level and on a personal level for me,” Rabiot said. “Today that is closed. It’s a new adventure and a beautiful adventure I’m sure.

“I hope to do my best, I want to do my best. I just want to lay the past behind me.”

Rabiot has six appearances for France, but none since his refusal to be on standby for the 2018 World Cup which France won.