French football expert Jonathan Johnson has spoken exclusively to CaughtOffside about Adrien Rabiot’s surprise move to Marseille this summer on a free transfer.
The 29-year-old was a free agent for some time and was notably linked with Manchester United before ending up accepting an offer to join Marseille in a move Johnson feels caught everyone by surprise.
Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Johnson made it clear that this was quite a coup for Marseille, who did well to complete an ambitious transfer with yet another big-name signing.
Johnson previously told us about Man Utd considering Rabiot when they were yet to complete the signing of Manuel Ugarte, though in the end they were able to land their top target from Paris Saint-Germain.
Rabiot’s move to Marseille, meanwhile, could also add some much-needed spark to French football as he’s a former PSG player now representing one of their biggest rivals, whilst also making the Ligue 1 title race more competitive and intriguing.
Rabiot transfer to Marseille praised by expert
“Adrien Rabiot is now officially a Marseille player in a move that came as quite a big surprise. It seemed for much of the summer like Rabiot would go for one of the really big clubs, while Saudi clubs also tried throwing a lot of money at him, though it didn’t work,” Johnson said.
“So for Rabiot to join OM, I think that’s a pretty big coup for the club, and a very interesting move for the player. I don’t think there were many people expecting someone to cross the PSG-Marseille divide as quickly as it happened, so I think that’s left some people in the industry surprised.
“There are elements of it that make sense for Rabiot, as this allows him to keep himself close to France ahead of the 2026 World Cup cycle, but also joining a club where there is a very clear challenge, and an ambitious project underway since the appointment of Roberto de Zerbi and other high-profile signings. It’s a fresh start under De Zerbi, and I think an exciting time to be joining Marseille.
“In terms of the rivalry with PSG, one of Rabiot’s former clubs, I think this move really adds some spice and creates a lot of extra intrigue around that match. It will be interesting to see the dynamic between Rabiot and the PSG fans, especially as he was a homegrown player there and will now be seen as having turned his back on everything.
“It’s a big boost for Marseille, and when you look at the team De Zerbi has assembled, on paper, it looks full of talent and like a side that could really give PSG a run for their money in terms of the Ligue 1 title. It’s already looking very interesting at the top of the table, and Le Classique is homing into view as well in the next month or so, so I think it’s going to be an important few weeks. Rabiot wasn’t involved over the weekend against Lyon, but it will be interesting to see what impact he can make once he gets on the pitch, and it could even be that one of his first appearances will come against PSG.
“Overall I think this could prove to be a really interesting signing that helps add some spark to a fixture and a rivalry that’s been missing for a while now.”
