Last summer, Olympique de Marseille conducted a particularly ambitious transfer window. Mason Greenwood, Elye Wahi, Ismaël Koné, Bamo Meïté, Geronimo Rulli, Derek Cornelius, Jonathan Rowe and Jeffrey De Lange have permanently joined the club’s ranks, while Jonathan Rowe, Valentin Carboni, Neal Maupay, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Lilian Brassier were recruited in the form of loans.
Marseille’s recruitment concluded unexpectedly in September with the arrival of Adrien Rabiot. Free since the end of his contract with Juventus Turin in June, the French midfielder had the possibility of signing up with the club of his choice, without worrying about transfer windows. Seduced by the project presented by sports advisor Mehdi Benatia, the former Parisian decided to settle down in Canebière. After a period of adaptation to find his rhythm, Rabiot delivered a good performance during OM’s victory against Lens (3-1) on Saturday in Ligue 1, suggesting a rise in power.
Bravo sees Rabiot as a driving force
For the former Marseillais, Daniel Bravo, Rabiot could play a key role in the Marseille locker room. With his experience at the highest level, the ex-Bianconero could breathe precious serenity into a group which has often faltered during matches at the Vélodrome, scene of four of the five poor performances of the season for Roberto De Zerbi’s men.
“If some are afraid of a Vélodrome that puts pressure, a player like Rabiot can change everything. He will reassure his teammates, show everyone that he is an exceptional player and pull everyone along with him. I am sure that things will change in the right direction at the Vélodrome. The Vélodrome has not yet seen the real Rabiot. In Lens, I loved it, he shined, is powerful, does the work of two, takes the ball higher, is capable of scoring. Exceptional. I feel like confidence is coming,” confided the former French international in an interview with Provence this Thursday.
