‘It was just business’ – why Adrien Rabiot left Manchester City to join PSG in tears

Adrien Rabiot (29) prepares to return to the Parc des Princes tonight when Paris Saint-Germain host Olympique de Marseille. It is expected that the former PSG midfielder will be the subject of a very hostile reception, given that he now plays for the arch-rivals, having come through Les Parisiens’ academy.

However, as L’Équipe have revealed, his attachment to PSG was “purely business”. It has always been rumoured that Rabiot was a Marseille fan growing up, which has been confirmed by Philippe Kontostavlos, a former recruiter at Manchester City, where Rabiot spent six months in the academy at the age of 13.

Kontostavlos has revealed that the France international left Manchester City in tears as he went to join PSG. The choice, he says, did not belong to the player, but to his mother, Véronique. “He was always an OM supporter growing up,” began Kontostavlos.

He added, “I’ll tell you the details of how he left City for PSG in tears. It was Véronique’s choice, not Adrien’s. Paris was a marriage of convenience, an opportunity given their current situation. It was just business, not love for the shirt. But Adrien was always professional and gave everything for PSG on the pitch but feelings can’t be controlled.”

Rabiot went on to make 227 appearances for PSG before departing for Juventus on a free transfer in 2019. He joined Marseille, also on a free transfer, in September. His deal runs until 2026 and talks over a renewal are expected to begin soon.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

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‘It was just business’ – why Adrien Rabiot left Manchester City to join PSG in tears

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