Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi has told Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe they will never play for the club again, after the pair were involved in a physical altercation following the club’s loss to Rennes on the opening weekend of the French league season.
Marseille confirmed Tuesday that both players have been put on the transfer list and have until Sept. 1 to find a new club.
“This decision was taken due to unacceptable behaviour in the dressing room after the match against Stade Rennais FC, in agreement with the technical staff and in accordance with the club’s internal code of conduct,” the Ligue 1 club wrote in a statement.
“The decision was communicated to the two players by the club on Monday.”
Rabiot, who has one year left on his contract, has attracted interest from former club Juventus and Inter Milan while Premier League sides are also monitoring the situation. Rowe, who left Norwich for the south of France a year ago, also has options in England, with Sunderland and Leeds United.
France international midfielder Rabiot, 30, and England under-21 international winger Rowe, 22, were expelled from the first-team squad on Monday after fighting with each other after Marseille’s defeat away at Rennes, sources said.
Tempers boiled over in the dressing room after the loss in a game where Marseille played with 11 men against 10 for an hour. Rabiot accused Rowe of a lack of commitment, according to sources, and they insulted each other in front of the whole squad before getting physical with each other.
De Zerbi, sources added, was also frustrated with Rabiot’s behavior in preseason, believing he was not invested enough, despite being Marseille’s best player last season and the squad’s highest earner.
Rowe’s services were already offered to various clubs, despite starting the game at Rennes.