In the summer of 2024, after his contract with Juventus concluded, Adrien Rabiot found himself without a club for a period. To the surprise of many, the French international, a product of the Paris Saint-Germain academy, ultimately agreed to join Olympique de Marseille. However, revelations have since emerged from Spain indicating that Rabiot had a host of other prestigious options available to him.
After five seasons with Juventus, from 2019 to 2024, Adrien Rabiot became a free agent. The midfielder, whose formative years were spent at PSG, then made the unexpected choice to sign with Olympique de Marseille. This decision came despite significant interest from several top European clubs, many of whom presented what appeared to be more appealing projects.
ancelotti’s real madrid interest in rabiot
Beyond his PSG lineage, Rabiot’s decision to join OM was particularly striking because the Phocaean club was not competing in any European competition at the time. Nevertheless, the French international was persuaded by the Marseille project, even though he could have moved to Real Madrid. Spanish journalist José Félix Diaz of AS recently highlighted this on X (formerly Twitter), recalling that as Rabiot delivered a strong performance for the French national team during the World Cup, he was still without a club on August 30, 2024, and Carlo Ancelotti, then coach of Real Madrid, had expressed a desire to sign him. Despite Ancelotti’s clear interest, Rabiot ultimately did not head to the Spanish capital, instead opting for OM.
medhi benatia’s audacious recruitment strategy
The pivotal figure behind Adrien Rabiot’s arrival at OM was Medhi Benatia. The former sporting director for Marseille recounted the audacious move, explaining how he secured the midfielder’s signature. Benatia noted, “Adrien, when I brought him in, the transfer window was already closed, but we could utilize a ‘joker’ signing. He was a free agent at that point, having not extended his contract with Juve. He had numerous options but hadn’t reached an agreement for various reasons. I had followed his entire transfer saga, where he might go, and so on. So, I just decided to go for it with audacity.” Benatia described Rabiot as a passionate and dedicated footballer. “When I called him, I thought, at worst, he’d say no, and I’d lose nothing. But if it worked out…” Remarkably, Rabiot called back within 24 hours. Benatia playfully remarked, “Adri, my friend, I gave you 48 hours, not 24! Are you sure you’ve thought this through?” Rabiot responded, “No, no, I’ve thought about it. I’ll give you my mother’s number, call her, and you can start.” Benatia concluded, “I told him, ‘Don’t worry, I already have everything. I just need you to tell me if…’ He said, ‘No, it’s good, it’s how you spoke to me about football. It’s good, I want to come.’”
