‘Advanced talks…here we go, expected soon’ - Fabrizio Romano shares latest on free agent Man Utd reportedly want
France international midfielder and reported Manchester United target Adrien Rabiot is closing in on a move to Olympique Marseille, according to Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The 29-year-old has been a free agent since he left Juventus in July 2024, and the Red Devils were said to be preparing to hold talks with him having been trying to sign him before the summer transfer window shut.
However, Rabiot will not be joining Man United, with Marseille now in advanced talks to sign him and get the deal done before the end of the new week.
Man United signed Uruguay international midfielder Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain as a replacement for academy graduate Scott McTominay.
The Scotland international joined Napoli on transfer deadline day, and while Casemiro was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, the Brazilian remains at the Old Trafford club until at least January.
As a result, signing another midfielder, even for free, does not appear to be a top priority for Man United and it appears they never made any serious attempts for Rabiot.
They returned to winning ways on Saturday, blowing Southampton away 3-0 after heading into the international break on the back of back-to-back league defeats.
However, tougher Premier League games are ahead of them before the next international break, with Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa next, and Man United have to prove themselves against those teams for fans to believe they have what it takes to make a lasting impression in 2024-25.
The Old Trafford club are currently 10th in the league table after two wins and two defeats, and they need to improve significantly going forward if they are to finish in the top-four and challenge for major silverware this season.