"Over the top and disrespectful": Rep reveals exact reason why French star did not sign for Man Utd

The representative of Adrien Rabiot has disclosed the exact reason behind the midfielder’s failed move to Manchester United three years ago.

Rabiot was a top target for manager Erik ten Hag in the summer of 2022. A fee was agreed with Juventus for his transfer, but there was a disagreement on personal terms.

Rabiot’s agent and mother, Veronique, was not satisfied with the contract proposal. In a lengthy interview with L’Equipe, she has now revealed the real reason behind that.

Veronique said that her son was ready to leave the Bianconeri for the Red Devils despite the latter not qualifying for the Champions League in 2022/23.

However, she was not pleased with the Red Devils saying that Rabiot would have to take a pay cut if they didn’t qualify for the Champions League again.

She said: “That year, Adrien was ready to leave Juve, who had qualified for the Champions League, for Manchester United, who hadn’t.

“We discussed the terms, and in the end, they said to me: ‘If we don’t qualify for the Champions League at the end of next season, Adrien’s salary will go down.’

“I found that really over the top and very disrespectful. I said, ‘We’re stopping’. They thought it was a strategy to get more [money].

“But no, it was a matter of principle, not money. Obviously, it surprised them. They’re not used to it.”

United took the right decision in the end

Juventus agreed to sell Rabiot for an initial £15 million plus £20m in add-ons. However, the deal did not reportedly materialise due to ‘excessive wage demands’ at the time.

Veronique has now dismissed the claim, but United still made the right choice. The Red Devils ended up signing Casemiro for £70m, who helped them end a six-year trophy drought.

Casemiro is no longer in his prime at 33, but he remains committed for the final year of his contract. The Brazilian will be aiming to leave the club on a high note next summer.

Rabiot had his best-ever season at Juventus after rejecting United with 17 goal contributions, but his form dropped off during the 2023/24 campaign before his free transfer to Marseille.

In our view, the club made the correct decision. Their proposal was not ‘disrespectful’ as the pay cut would have been universal with everyone else in the first-team squad that season.

United are not obliged to make an exception for a single individual. Rabiot would have been a crucial player for the Mancunian giants had Veronique not messed up the contract talks.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sri Aswin .