The tenure of French international midfielder Adrien Rabiot at Olympique de Marseille appears to be drawing to a close under dramatic circumstances. Manager Roberto De Zerbi has reportedly communicated to the club`s leadership his decision to exclude Rabiot from his future plans, stemming from a disciplinary issue that occurred last week.
Véronique Rabiot, the player`s mother and agent, confirmed that she was informed on August 18th of her son`s suspension from the squad. Despite attempts to seek clarification from Sporting Director Mehdi Benatia, no response was provided. Subsequently, on Tuesday morning, OM`s general secretary Benjamin Arnaud directly confirmed to Rabiot’s legal representative that De Zerbi had unequivocally stated the midfielder was not part of his strategy moving forward.
De Zerbi`s rationale for this decision is reportedly a “lack of investment” from Rabiot, contrasting with his performance during his initial season at Marseille. However, sources close to the player have strongly refuted this justification.
This fallout follows Marseille`s 1-0 away defeat to Rennes on August 15th, an encounter that reportedly saw tensions escalate significantly in the dressing room. Rabiot and English winger Jonathan Rowe were allegedly involved in two altercations, including verbal insults and physical contact. As a consequence, both players have been barred from training with the senior team.
Adrien Rabiot joined Marseille in 2024 and is currently under contract until the conclusion of the present season. This represents a significant downturn for the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, who was considered a standout performer for Les Phocéens during De Zerbi’s inaugural season at the helm.