Olympique de Marseille, a team in Ligue 1, has officially put Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe on the transfer list. This is because the two got into a fight in the locker room, causing a lot of problems for the team.
The club said in a statement, “Olympique de Marseille confirms that Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe have been put on the transfer list after misbehaving in the locker room after the match against Rennes.”
Head coach Roberto De Zerbi is said to have suggested the choice, and the club’s administration agreed. Both players have been told personally. Fabrizio Romano, a well-known expert on transfers, later said that Rabiot and Rowe’s careers at Marseille have ended.
Conflict Erupts After Opening Defeat
The French news site RMC Sport says that the event happened on August 16, the day after Marseille lost 1–0 at home to Rennes in their first Ligue 1 game.
The team was already feeling down after the loss, and things got tense in the locker room. Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe got into a heated argument that quickly turned into a fight. Rowe even slapped Rabiot in front of his teammates at one point, which caused chaos.
Coach De Zerbi, sporting director Mehdi Benatia, and a few teammates had to come in to calm things down. But the mood stayed hostile, and several of the older players openly criticised some of their colleagues for not being committed.
In reaction, the club kicked both players out of first-team activities and suspended them from training for an extended period.
Marseille Seizes the Opportunity, Rabiot Likely to Leave at Discount
French news outlets also said that De Zerbi had been unhappy with Rabiot’s attitude for a long time because he thought he wasn’t dedicated enough, and this incident gave him the perfect chance to get rid of him.
Rabiot’s mother and agent later stated that she had been informed De Zerbi no longer wished to work with her son. Both she and Rabiot expressed their disbelief at the club’s decision.
Jonathan Rowe is expected to move to AS Roma for about €15 million, but Rabiot’s next move is still up in the air. The 30-year-old still has a year left on his deal with Marseille.
Rabiot played 31 times for the club last season, scoring 10 goals and setting up five others. Transfermarket says he is worth €25 million right now, but his transfer cost is likely to be no more than €20 million. Reports say that teams like Manchester United and Inter Milan have made him offers.
Infighting Damages Title Ambitions, Marseille in Early Crisis
The fight not only showed how divided the team was, but it also hurt Marseille’s chances of winning the Ligue 1 title this season.
The French giants are in a lot of trouble and crisis right at the start of the season because they lost their first game and then got caught up in a scandal.
