Veretout, Rami, Evra… OM's other French international recruits

His is an arrival that has all Marseille supporters excited. After several days of discussions, Adrien Rabiot, a free agent, will noe wear the colors of Olympique de Marseille. Marseille announced the official signing of the French international on Tuesday. The former Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus midfielder, who has 48 caps for France, one participation in the 2022 World Cup and two in the Euros, in 2020 and 2024, is thus added to the list of French internationals who have made their return to Ligue 1 McDonald's by joining OM. Here's an overview of some of his predecessors.

Jordan Veretout

Trained at FC Nantes before leaving for Aston Villa (2015) then returning to Ligue 1 McDonald's under the colors of AS Saint-Etienne (2016-17), Jordan Veretout takes on another dimension in Serie A. He first played for Fiorentina (2017-19) before joining AS Roma with whom he became a French international in September 2021. Eager for a new challenge after three years in the Italian capital, the midfielder signed with Olympique de Marseille in 2022. He recently left the club to join Olympique Lyonnais.

Steve Mandanda

A year after leaving for Crystal Palace, Steve Mandanda returned to Marseille in July 2017. Having left OM to try his luck in the Premier League, the goalkeeper only played nine games in the English championship and decided to find playing time in a club he knows perfectly; "El Fenomeno" having kept the Marseille goal for nine seasons, between 2007 and 2016. After a total of 613 matches with OM, the French international with 35 caps left the club again in July 2022 and joined Stade Rennais, where he has been an undisputed starter since.

Adil Rami

Determined by the idea of ​​returning to the French team and participating in the 2018 World Cup, Adil Rami chose to join OM in July 2017. Having come through at LOSC, the player who had been playing at FC Seville for two seasons then made his arrival as an important member of a new project inspired by Rudi Garcia. He will succeed in his bet to be called up for the 2018 World Cup by Didier Deschamps and would play 75 matches with OM, before being dismissed for serious misconduct in 2019.

Dimitri Payet

It is a saga that has long shaken up OM's winter transfer window in 2017. Eighteen months after leaving Ligue 1 McDonald's for West Ham, Dimitri Payet signs his return to Olympique de Marseille. Returning with iconic status after having shone in the Premier League, the French international then had seasons of an alternating level mixing good and bad years. Having left the club in July 2023, the number 10 spent a total of eight seasons in Marseille (2013-15, 2017-23).

Patrice Evra

Eleven years after leaving France and AS Monaco, Patrice Evra also signed with Olympique de Marseille in January 2017. Having appeared 81 times with the French team, five times champion of England with Manchester United, then twice champion of Italy with Juventus, the left-back, then aged 35, arrived on the Canebière with one of the finest records in French football. After eleven months of ups and downs with OM, he would terminate his contract by mutual agreement with the club in November 2017.
 

Rod Fanni

Like Steve Mandanda and Dimitri Payet, Rod Fanni, author of five appearances with the Blues, is one of the French internationals who have chosen to make a second stint at Olympique de Marseille. An Olympian player from December 2010 to June 2015, he made his comeback in August 2016 after a one-season stint in Qatar and a brief stint in the English second division. He played a key role during the 2016/17 season, then was released after several months without playing in February 2018.
 

Rémy Cabella

Discovered in Ligue 1 McDonald’s under the colours of Montpellier Hérault SC, where he became a French international, Rémy Cabella then chose to taste the Premier League with Newcastle before signing with OM in August 2015. Blocked by competition in England, he found significant playing time in the Phocaean city but was unable to rediscover the qualities that had made him an international. He left the club after two seasons, in August 2017, to join AS Saint-Etienne.