Adrien Rabiot played for Manchester City as a teenager but deal was terminated after six months

As a teenager, Adrien Rabiot spent six months playing for Manchester City's academy after he was scouted by the club, aged 13.

Rabiot, who is reportedly deemed surplus to requirements at current side Juventus, is close to joining Manchester United this summer for a fee of around £15 million.

It is believed the club are currently in negotiations with Rabiot's mother, Veronique, who acts as his agent, over personal terms.

What many people don't know about Rabiot is that he has already played in Manchester before.

After being spotted by Manchester City scouts while playing at Clairefontaine – the national football centre that specialises in training French footballers – the talented midfielder was offered a deal.

He made his way to England after being invited by scouts and spent a total of six months in the academy system.

But according to The Times, Rabiot's mum and agent, Veronique, terminated the deal after a brief spell.

Back in 2020, Rabiot spoke about his time at the Premier League club in 2008.

“During the last entry course at Clairefontaine, Manchester City recruiters were present,” he said. “They told my mum they were interested in my profile. We made the decision to go to England.

“Everything was going well, but after six months, the club did not respect certain agreements, so my mother said ‘Stop’ and we went home.”

Manchester City, however, claim Rabiot's agent Veronique, wanted assurances which would have seen them breach FIFA rules about foreign youth players at the time.

The French midfielder went on to join Paris Saint-Germain in 2010 and two years later, he was promoted to the first team by Carlo Ancelotti after impressing in the youth system.

Rabiot's agent and mum Veronique is known for being a tricky customer when it comes to negotiations.

It has been reported that she has demanded to speak to no one else but Manchester United director of football, John Murtough, and will not deal with intermediaries.

Rabiot is reportedly demanding wages of up to €10 million-per-year, a sum which works out at just less than €200,000-per-week.

Thoughts on the potential deal? Let us know in the comments.

Featured Image Credit: Adrien Rabiot/Alamy

Topics: Adrien Rabiot, Manchester United, Transfers, Juventus, Manchester City, Premier League

Jack Kenmare

Senior Journalist at SPORTbible with a passion for long-form journalism. Almost 10 years’ experience across online and print.

@jackkenmare_