By his own admission, he hoped that his “future would be settled before the Euro.” Two months after the Blues' elimination against Spain in the semi-final (1-2, July 9), Adrien Rabiot will sign a two-year contract with Olympique de Marseille on Tuesday at midday. A surprising choice, especially since the French international, who arrives as a free agent after the end of his contract at Juventus, had many suitors during the summer, such as AC Milan and West Ham, but also interest from Manchester United and a financial offer that was hard to refuse in Saudi Arabia. All that, but not PSG? Between the two, there has never been a mutual desire to get together.
1. His profile does not match Luis Enrique's expectations
Luis Enrique is a meticulous man and when he describes the technical profile he wants to strengthen his squad, his sports management often has precise information in their hands. Before the summer transfer window, the Spanish coach had wanted to see a player with strong technical qualities arrive in midfield, capable of playing in front of the defense or as a relay, of having volume and was opposed to having a large size.
He had Joao Neves, the priority of priorities. Far from the desired profile, Adrien Rabiot was never part of the list of elements targeted by Paris Saint-Germain. Contrary to what certain rumors published on social networks have suggested. There has never been any contact between the capital club and the player's clan.
2. Rabiot did not want to come back
Trained at Paris and having left with a bang five years ago, the 29-year-old has never wanted to return to the capital. “It's true that since I left for Juventus, I think that every summer my name is associated with PSG. It's very flattering on the one hand. Afterwards, it's still complicated when you know how it ended,” admitted Rabiot last March during a press conference at Clairefontaine. “Of course, as I've already said, in football you can't close any doors. But that won't be my priority in any case.”
Although he still has ties, friends and his family home near Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Rabiot has not forgotten the episode of his last season, 2018-2019. Refusing to extend his contract with PSG, he was sidelined in December, sent back to the reserves and suspended as a precautionary measure for “serious misconduct” in March. This already difficult treatment was enhanced by other episodes that are difficult to forget. Indeed, the midfielder and his mother, who is also his advisor, were targeted by a campaign of denigration and insults organized by the club. It doesn't really make you want to come back.
PSG knows it and as Luis Enrique only wants to count on players who are hyper-motivated at the idea of wearing the Parisian jersey, there was no chance that the two parties would meet.
3. Nasser Al-Khelaïfi did not forgive him
Before Kylian Mbappé left for Real Madrid in June, Adrien Rabiot was the first player to stand up to the French champion and his president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi to not extend his contract and leave on a free at the end of the 2019 season. This earned the player six months of sidelining from December 2018 to June 2019. Known for being hard-nosed, the Parisian president has not forgotten this conflict and those around him strive to deny the idea of a return every year.
Indeed, NAK remembers the free departure of the number 14 of the Blues but also the media outings against his mother who had accused the Qataris of having taken, concerning her son, “a totally unfair decision. Everyone knows it. And by doing that, he instilled a poison in his team, which has done its work these last five months. He himself fragmented his team because he forgot the human dimension precisely.” In this context and given the tenacious resentment of the two parties, it seemed very unlikely to see the boss of PSG pick up his phone to bring back the former Turin player.
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