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Adrien Rabiot reveals why he snubbed struggling Man United TWICE - as Marseille midfielder heaps praise on Mason Greenwood

Adrien Rabiot reveals why he snubbed struggling Man United TWICE - as Marseille midfielder heaps praise on Mason Greenwood

Daily Mail​10-06-2025

Adrien Rabiot has revealed that he rejected a move to Manchester United because the club are 'in a bit of a hole at the moment'.
The French midfielder was strongly linked with a transfer to United two summers ago with his contract at Juventus set to expire.
But he signed a contract extension and went on to win the Coppa Italia with the Turin outfit in his final season at the club.
United reignited their interest in the 30-year-old last summer, but he once again snubbed a move to Old Trafford.
Instead Rabiot moved to Marseille, where he scored nine goals and claimed four assists in his first season back in Ligue 1 to help Robert De Zerbi's side finish in second place and secure Champions League qualification for only the third time in 12 years.
The Red Devils, meanwhile, won't compete in European competition next season for just the second time in 35 years after they endured a lowly 15th place Premier League finish.
Rabiot, who has been capped 53 times for France, revealed that 'great talks' took place with United, but he opted against a switch because of their struggles.
'It really could have happened two years ago, when I was coming to the end of my contract at Juventus and I finally decided to extend by a year,' he told The Athletic.
'We had great talks, and there were written offers. But in the end, it didn't happen.
'Last year as well, when I was free, they came back in again. I had good talks with them again.
'But it's true that it was a bit tricky. The situation they're in at the moment… I felt a bit of reticence about whether United were going to be able to go on and achieve great things. Because they're in a bit of a hole at the moment.'
'I arrived at Marseille and I had a great season. I helped the club to fulfil its objectives by qualifying [for the Champions League] in my first season. So no, no regrets,' he added.
The Frenchman spent six months in Manchester City's academy as a teenager and has gone to win five Ligue 1 titles with Paris Saint-Germain and Serie A with Juventus.
At Marseille he plays alongside former United forward Mason Greenwood.
Greenwood was charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour before prosecutors dropped the case against him in February 2023.
He went on loan to Getafe before joining Marseille permanently last summer.
'Mason is an incredible player,' Rabiot said.
'If he hadn't had all of his problems, I think he'd have an image like [Jude] Bellingham. Mason would be the star.
'He's an exceptional player. He can score with his right foot and his left foot, he has an exceptional shot, he can dribble.
'We're very lucky to have him. When he's really focused, he does really great things.'

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