DONE DEAL: West Ham brutally beaten yet again by French side as Player snub Lopetugui side despite Deadline day fiasco that nearly get deal sealed to be a HAMMER.
West Ham made an attempt to sign French international Adrien Rabiot this summer, hoping to derail his potential move to Manchester United. However, the 29-year-old midfielder has chosen to return to his home country after his Juventus contract expired, with Marseille set to sign him this week. Rabiot, who has 48 caps for France, is expected to agree to a two-year deal with the club in the south of France.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano shared the update on social media platform X, stating: “Olympique Marseille have arranged travel and medical for Adrien Rabiot, who will sign a two-year contract with the club. The project presented by Longoria, Benatia, and de Zerbi convinced the French international, as reported yesterday.”
French publication L’Equipe also confirmed the imminent transfer, offering more insight into why Rabiot didn’t make the move to the Premier League. According to the report, Rabiot had spent months searching for a new club after his contract with Juventus ended on June 30th.
Last season, Rabiot made 35 appearances across all competitions for Juventus, contributing five goals and three assists. Former Juventus player Giancarlo Marocchi praised Rabiot’s “crazy” creativity and leadership qualities last December.
Playing in European competitions was a priority for Rabiot, which positioned Manchester United and Atletico Madrid as frontrunners. Manchester United reportedly offered him a four-year contract.
As Rabiot continued to search for a new club, it was rumored last week that Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur had been approached about a possible free transfer. According to teamTALK, both North London clubs were contacted about his availability.
While his wage demands initially caused issues in negotiations, with the new season already underway, Rabiot became more open to accepting a lower offer to return to playing, especially after being left out of France’s Nations League squad this month.