Rabiot and Allegri: a bond that goes beyond the pitch
It was never a secret: Adrien Rabiot joined Milan because of Massimiliano Allegri. The Livorno-born coach pushed hard throughout the summer of 2025, from the very start to the final hours of the transfer window, to bring the French midfielder to the Rossoneri. It was an operation driven entirely by the manager, who saw Rabiot as a fundamental piece of his system.
Now that Allegri appears increasingly close to joining Napoli — with the severance pay issue from Milan being the last hurdle — Rabiot’s future inevitably comes back into question. According to available information, the French midfielder is seriously considering following his technical mentor to the shadow of Vesuvius.
A positive season with a mixed ending
It should be said that Rabiot delivered strong performances for much of the 2025/26 campaign. Until March, the Frenchman was one of Milan’s best players, consistently getting into goalscoring positions and netting with a frequency unusual for a central midfielder — almost outscoring the forwards themselves, a testament to the team’s attacking difficulties. In the second half of the season, like the whole squad, his form dipped, but the overall balance remains positive.
The problem is that the context around him has changed radically. Without Allegri, without his managerial points of reference, and with a domino effect risk looming over the squad, Rabiot may no longer feel the conditions are right to give his best in a Rossoneri shirt.
Milan won’t give anyone away: a concrete offer will be needed
One thing must be clear, however: Rabiot is not a free agent. The midfielder is bound to Milan by a contract, and the Rossoneri have every right — and every interest — to demand a fair price for his sale. If Aurelio De Laurentiis‘s Napoli truly want to bring Rabiot to Naples, they will need to sit down at the negotiating table with a serious offer. This is not charity.
This aspect is also crucial for Milan’s transfer strategy: the proceeds from a potential sale would be essential for funding new signings and maintaining a high quality level within the squad. Selling at a discount, or worse giving away players of value, would be a strategic error that the new sporting director — whoever that turns out to be — must absolutely avoid.
Milan’s market plans hinge on these decisions
In a summer that promises to be packed with movement, the Rabiot question is just one of many that the Rossoneri leadership will need to address. Alongside the situations of Rafael Leão, Luka Modrić and Mike Maignan, the French midfielder’s file adds to the picture of a Milan in the midst of a full rebuild. The hope — a very real one — is that the decisions ahead will be worthy of the Rossoneri’s storied history.
