‘They’re in a bit of a hole’ – Adrien Rabiot explains why he picked Marseille over Manchester United | OneFootball

Adrien Rabiot (30) has long been linked with a move to Manchester United, dating back to when he first emerged from the Paris Saint-Germain academy. Last summer, it looked as if that transfer would finally take place.

The France international was once again a free agent following the expiration of his contract at Juventus and appeared to be interested in plying his trade in the Premier League. However, nothing ever emerged, and instead Rabiot shocked French football by joining Olympique de Marseille.

Rabiot explains in an interview with The Athletic that a move to United looked on the cards, “It really could have happened two years ago, when I was coming to the end of my contract at Juventus and I finally decided to extend by a year. We had great talks, and there were written offers. But in the end, it didn’t happen.”

The midfielder continues, “Last year, as well, when I was free, they came back in again. I had good talks with them again. But it’s true that it was a bit tricky. The situation they’re in at the moment… I felt a bit of reticence about whether United were going to be able to go on and achieve great things. Because they’re in a bit of a hole at the moment.”

For Marseille’s part, Rabiot has had no regrets joining the club. “I arrived at Marseille and I had a great season. I helped the club to fulfil its objectives by qualifying [for the Champions League] in my first season. So no, no regrets.”

Under Roberto De Zerbi, Rabiot took up an advanced midfield role, sitting alongside Mason Greenwood behind the number nine. Despite having spent most of his career playing deeper, the Frenchman excelled, scoring nine and assisting five as Marseille recorded a runners-up finish in the league.

GFFN | Nick Hartland