The duo had a heated altercation in the dressing room after Marseille lost their Ligue 1 opener against Rennes.
The Ligue 1 altercation turned sour for Marseille when Rennes clinched victory in the dying moments, courtesy of Ludovic Blas’ decisive strike.
Having played against ten men for over an hour following the dismissal of Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Marseille were expected to capitalise but instead faltered under pressure.
Tensions boiled over after the final whistle, with Rowe drawing criticism from teammates for what they perceived as a lacklustre display. The frustration escalated into a heated exchange between the young Englishman and World Cup winner Rabiot, with reports suggesting the confrontation became physical.
In response, Marseille acted swiftly. Both Rowe and Rabiot were suspended from first-team training and informed they would not feature in the club’s upcoming home game against newly-promoted Paris FC. The club confirmed in an official statement that both players had been transfer listed.
“Olympique de Marseille announces that Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe have been placed on the transfer list by the club,” the statement read. “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 decision was communicated to the two players by the club on Monday.”
For Rowe, the episode marks a dramatic downturn after what had been a highly promising summer. The 22-year-old winger played a key role for England’s Under-21 side at the European Championship, scoring the winning goal against Germany in the final to secure the title. Having impressed during his loan spell from Norwich last season, Rowe completed a permanent switch to Marseille earlier this summer.
Now, his future looks uncertain, with reports in Italy suggesting both Roma and Bologna are monitoring his situation closely.
Rabiot’s fate also hangs in the balance. The experienced midfielder, who has enjoyed spells at Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, and Manchester United, was seen as a marquee signing for Marseille. However, his fiery altercation may have brought an abrupt end to his stay at the Stade Vélodrome.
Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi did not hold back in his assessment of the chaotic scenes. “The others beat us on the pitch, and we come in here and fight among ourselves,” he said. “You know what that means? That we have small balls. In Marseille, we need to have big ones.”
The episode is another example of the club’s long-standing reputation for internal strife and self-implosion. Despite a promising summer transfer window, which saw the arrivals of Angel Gomes, CJ Egan-Riley, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Igor Paixao, Tim Weah, Neal Maupay, and the return of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, optimism has quickly given way to turbulence.
For Marseille supporters, the early-season drama is an all-too-familiar story. Instead of consolidating their strong recruitment drive, the focus has now shifted to off-field discord and the uncertain futures of two high-profile players.
