Revealed: Why Inter Milan Gave Up On Adrien Rabiot Pursuit To Rivals AC Milan In The Summer | OneFootball

Adrien Rabiot came far closer to joining Inter Milan last summer than many realised, with the Nerazzurri exploring the possibility before rivals AC Milan eventually completed a deal and Inter settled on Andy Diouf.

According to Sky Sport’s reports, via FCInter1908, Inter monitored the French midfielder’s situation early in the window, viewing him as a potential market opportunity should the conditions become favourable.

However, while Inter gathered information and assessed the feasibility of a move, there was never a real intention to push aggressively.

Inter Vs Milan – Nerazzurri Signed Diouf Instead Of Rabiot

LYON, FRANCE – AUGUST 05: Andy Diouf #20 of Team France inspects the pitch prior to the Men’s semifinal match between France and Egypt during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de Lyon on August 05, 2024 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

The club had already mapped out a different investment strategy for midfield and did not want to divert resources toward a high-cost signing like Rabiot, whose contractual and financial demands were expected to be significant.

Even when it became clear that Milan were intensifying their efforts, Inter chose not to increase their involvement.

Internally, the priority had shifted toward finalising the Diouf operation, a move considered more sustainable and aligned with the squad-building plans already in place.

In the end, Milan’s persistence and the player’s openness to their project allowed them to close the deal while Inter focused elsewhere.