Marseille Seek Buyers After Listing Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe for Transfer

One of the historic French Clubs, Olympique de Marseille, has sent shockwaves through the world of football after they listed players like Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe for sale. This decision to release their influential players came after the club got humiliated in a 1-0 defeat against a 10-man Stade Rennais in their opening match of one of the most popular leagues in the world. The loss, despite Rennes playing against 10 men for over an hour, exposed tensions within the squad after the full-time whistle.

Reports indicate that Adrien Rabiot, a key player for the French side last season with 10 goals and 6 assists, confronted the winger Jonathan Rowe. The heated argument between Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe later took a violent turn after both players were involved in a physical fight. The current manager, who was already frustrated with Adrien Rabiot's lack of commitment in the pre-season, took decisive action against both Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe.

On 19th August, a statement was released by the French Club Marseille, confirming the availability of Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe in the transfer market, citing “unacceptable behaviour” in violation of the club’s internal code of conduct. The same was communicated to Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe on Monday, this week, which gives them until September 1 to find new clubs. The section below will focus on possible moves for both Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe.

Adrien Rabiot Transfer: Possible Move for the French Player

The French player Adrien Rabiot is no stranger to big moves and controversies. The tall midfielder joined the iconic French club before the commencement of the 2024/25 season after playing for a couple of seasons at the Serie A side Juventus on a free transfer. He was the standout player for Marseille last season, scoring 10 goals and 6 assists in 40+ appearances. His experience and physique help the player to find spaces in the opponent's defensive half and also help him to shield the ball when needed.

However, his off-field controversies, like past clashes at PSG and a refusal to join France’s 2018 World Cup standby list, made him look like a stubborn player who is likely to hamper the dressing room environment.

The recent Confrontation with Jonathan Rowe has now put the player on transfer and is now expecting a move to a big club. However, Adrien Rabiot transfer before 1st September looks unlikely as many of the teams have already started their campaign and are almost set, but a few clubs are still in the market looking for a midfielder to strengthen their squads. A few of them are mentioned below.

Given his market value of €25 million, it seems unlikely that a major club will pursue him in the current window. His off-field attitude may also be a factor that discourages big clubs from making a move. However, if Marseille accepts a lower bid, he may move to above mentioned clubs, or a mid-table team will clinch the deal as they want players who can add strength to their squad and will ignore his big boy attitude.

Jonathan Rowe Transfer: Possible Move for the Winger

The winger, whom Adrien Rabiot accused of showing a lack of commitment on the pitch against Stade Rennais, will be on the market for sale after he was found guilty, too, in a physical spat between Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe. A look at his last season's numbers depicts his lesser contribution to the team despite his 30 appearances for the club. Jonathan Rowe Transfer to a big club looks very unlikely, as his past spells at Norwich City didn't show much impact. However, mid-table teams or newly promoted teams may go for the player to strengthen their bench for the ongoing 2025/26 season. Finding a move in this window will be a hard task, and he may choose the winter transfer window for a possible move to a club where his game time is not compromised.