The decision was made “Due to unacceptable behavior in the locker room after the match against Stade Rennais”. In a short press release, published Tuesday August 19, Olympique de Marseille (OM) announced that it has placed on “The list of transfers” Frenchman Adrien Rabiot and the English striker Jonathan Rowe. This choice was made “In accordance with the technical staff and in application of the club’s driving rules”specifies the Marseille training in its text.
Earlier in the day, Véronique Rabiot, the mother and midfielder’s agent, finalist of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with the Blues (53 selections), had told RTL that the Italian coach of OM, Roberto de Zerbi, was behind this measure, because of a “Lack of investment” of the player.
In recent days, several media had echoed an altercation between Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe, in the wake of the defeat of the Marseille club (1-0), Friday August 15, at Roazhon Park, at the opening of the 2025-2026 season of the French football championship. “They were not far from coming to hands”had declared a source to the agency France-Presse (AFP). The two men had to be separated by their teammates and members of OM supervision.
They had subsequently been temporarily dismissed from the first team, according to another source using the incident, then confirming information from RMC Sport. “The image of the institution comes above all”had added it.
A good first season
Arrived in the Marseille city in September 2024, Adrien Rabiot, 30, had had a good first season (ten goals and five assists in all competitions) and had largely contributed to the qualification of OM for the Champions League 2025-2026. The former Paris Saint-Germain player (from 2012 to 2019) had expressed a few days ago in an interview with Provenceof his wish to stay in Marseille.
As for Jonathan Rowe, 22, who arrived on loan from Norwich in late August 2024, he was little used by Roberto de Zerbi during last season. Although his transfer was not formalized until May 13, he was already given on the start even before the incidents on Friday.
After its inaugural defeat in Rennes, OM receives Paris FC on Saturday August 23 at the Stade-Vélodrome, for the second day of Ligue 1.
