Adrien Rabiot says he has received multiple offers to join Manchester United in recent years, but was reluctant to move to Old Trafford given the club are ‘in a bit of a hole at the moment’.
The 30-year-old midfielder was heavily linked with the Red Devils back in 2023, when he was nearing the end of his contract with Serie A giants Juventus.
But Rabiot agreed to a one-year extension in Turin later that summer and went on to make 35 appearances across the 2023/24 season, helping Juve win the Coppa Italia.
Twelve months on, United again explored the prospect of capturing Rabiot on a free transfer, only for the France international to return to his homeland and sign for Marseille instead.
It has proven to be a great fit for both parties, with Rabiot racking up nine goals and four assists in Ligue 1 as Marseille secured Champions League qualification with a runners-up finish behind Paris Saint-Germain.
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Reflecting on what could have been in a wide-ranging interview with The Athletic, Rabiot – who was named Marseille’s player of the season – lifted the lid on just how close he came to playing for United.
‘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,’ Rabiot explained.
‘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.’
Rabiot now shares a dressing room at Marseille with Mason Greenwood, who left United in 2023 following an internal investigation into his conduct.
The six-month investigation was launched after Greenwood was arrested in early 2022 following allegations surrounding material published online.
Greenwood was charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour before prosecutors dropped the case against him in February 2023.
‘Mason is an incredible player,’ Rabiot said of the English forward.
‘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.’
It was widely reported last month that Greenwood was attracting strong interest from the Premier League, with at least two unnamed top-flight clubs said to be mulling over a proposed bid for the attacker.
Greenwood’s current contract with Marseille runs through to the summer of 2029.
Rabiot, meanwhile, has just 12 months remaining on his deal at the Stade Velodrome.
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