Adrien Rabiot reveals the person who persuaded him to join Juventus | OneFootball

Milan midfielder Adrien Rabiot opens up on his special relationship with his manager, Massimiliano Allegri, which dates back to their time together at Juventus.

In 2019, the Frenchman joined the Bianconeri on a free transfer following an ugly fallout with Paris Saint-Germain.

At the time, the player was considered one of the hottest free agents on the market, and was being linked to several top European clubs, including Barcelona.

In the end, Rabiot opted to join Juventus, but ironically, the person who convinced him to join had already left the club before the player set foot at Continassa.

Adrien Rabiot wanted to join Juventus to play under Max Allegri

The 30-year-old revealed that he was persuaded to join the Turin-based giants following his conversations with Allegri.

However, when he signed for the Bianconeri, the Livorno native had already been relieved from his duties and replaced by Maurizio Sarri.

“In 2019, I chose Juventus because of him (Allegri). I had met him months before the end of the season, and I immediately liked him,” admitted the midfielder in his interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport via IlBianconero.

“When I arrived in Turin, however, he was no longer there.”

(Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Rabiot went on to win a Scudetto title under Sarri’s guidance in his first season in Italian football, and then the Italian Super Cup and the Coppa Italia with Andrea Pirlo in the following campaign.

Although the club’s steep decline continued, Rabiot was at least happy with the opportunity to finally work under Allegri’s tutelage when the latter returned to Juventus in 2021.

“When he returned in 2021, we created a good relationship.”

“To win, you always have to give something extra, and have the mentality the coach instils in us. He’s a winner, and I like his personality, the way he coaches, his passion for football, and his ambition.

“Off the pitch, he’s always very positive, he jokes and keeps us calm. During my injury layoff, he asked me three or four times a day when I’d be back.

“Having a coach who talks to you often, even when you’re not available, helps you stay focused on the objective. Allegri is great in this regard, too.”

The reunion at Milan

Rabiot and Allegri have recently been reunited at Milan. The 30-year-old spent the previous campaign at Olympique Marseille, but a chaotic locker-room brawl with Jonathan Rowe saw both players placed on the transfer list.

Hence, the Rossoneri seized the opportunity, allowing Allegri to work with his favourite pupil once more.

“At the start of the transfer window, Allegri told me: ‘Let’s see what happens,’ and something really happened. I don’t know how he does it, but he also foresees the future!”

“Milan also contacted me in July, but back then, it was difficult for me to leave Marseille. After that thing happened (the dispute with Rowe), other Italian clubs contacted me, but I knew what I wanted.”