Rabiot’s mum ‘told’ Atletico official where he should play

La Liga outfit Atlético Madrid stopped talks to sign Adrien Rabiot after his mother and agent Veronique told the club’s sporting director where her son should play, according to French agent Bruno Satin.

Rabiot left Juventus last season and became a free agent. Atletico were one of the clubs in talks to sign the Frenchman but a deal collapsed after his agent started to tell Andrea Berta what position she wanted her son to play in, per outlet RMC Sport.

Satin told the French outlet: “It’s the result of the incompetence of the people who accompanied him there. He is advised by his mother and it shows that it is better to be accompanied by professionals. Because if he had been accompanied by an agent, he would be in a European top 10 club, and what’s more, he was free.”

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He continued “The first thing is to get his opinion and find out what he wants to do But it would be better to ask him at the end of May because now (at the end of August), he has done the rounds of the market.

“To take a concrete example, I had the sporting director of Atlético de Madrid at the end of July and he told me: ‘I had two conversations with the mother and I stopped immediately because she explained to me where her son should play’. It quickly tires all the professionals, it’s unbearable.”

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Rabiot closes in on Ligue 1 return

Marseille have reached an agreement in principle to sign Rabiot, the club confirmed on social media.

The French club posted on X (formerly known as Twitter): “Olympique de Marseille announces that it has reached an agreement in principle with Adrien Rabiot for the arrival of the French international midfielder at the club.

“The player will sign with OM subject to the results of the medical examination.”

Rabiot will join new additions Neal Maupay, Mason Greenwood, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Elye Wahi.

News of Rabiot’s move to Marseille comes after he was slammed by France manager Didier Deschamps.

“Adrien Rabiot has a somewhat embarrassing situation. His contract was expiring and he was solicited by several teams but now he’s without a team and doesn’t train in a group.

“I hope he can quickly choose a club that can then bring him back to us.”