A trio of London clubs had shown interest in signing the French international on a free transfer after the Deadline Day window. West Ham made an effort to attract Adrien Rabiot this summer, attempting to derail his move to Manchester United, but were unsuccessful.
The 29-year-old midfielder, who recently finished his contract with Juventus, is set to return to France, with Marseille expected to finalize his signing this week. Rabiot, who has earned 48 caps for France, is anticipated to sign a two-year contract with the French club.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano announced on X, “Olympique Marseille has scheduled Adrien Rabiot’s travel and medical exams, and he will sign a two-year deal with the club. The project presented by Longoria, Benatia, and de Zerbi has convinced him.”
French outlet L’Equipe also reports on the transfer, providing additional context on why Rabiot didn’t move to the Premier League. The midfielder had been seeking a new deal for months following the expiration of his Juventus contract on June 30.
Rabiot made 35 appearances for Juventus last season, scoring five goals and providing three assists. His creativity and leadership qualities were praised by former Juventus player Giancarlo Marocchi last December.
Rabiot prioritized European football, putting Manchester United and Atletico Madrid in contention. Manchester United reportedly offered him a four-year deal.
L’Equipe notes that West Ham, along with Galatasaray, tried to attract the free agent. However, the lack of European competition made West Ham’s efforts ineffective. There was also interest from Saudi Arabia, but it was never seen as a serious option for Rabiot.
Last week, as Rabiot continued his search for a club, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur were reported to have been offered his services. teamTALK mentioned that both North London clubs were contacted regarding a potential free transfer.
Rabiot’s high wage demands had complicated negotiations over the summer, but with the season underway and having been omitted from France’s Nations League squad, he became more willing to accept a lower offer to secure a new club.
