Adrien Rabiot’s place in Milan’s new cycle is becoming clearer with each passing Sunday. Ruben Amorim initially used him between midfield and attack, and at times left him among the substitutes, but the Frenchman has steadily made himself indispensable in every version of the role: winning possession, giving the side balance and joining the play around the centre-forward. Milan now see him as a long-term cornerstone of the midfield rather than a temporary solution.
That conviction is expected to lead to discussions over a new contract. Rabiot’s current agreement runs until the summer of 2028 and includes an option for 2029, yet Milan are considering an extension that could take the relationship to 2030. Gerry Cardinale is due to take personal charge of the matter when he returns to Milan, with the player’s future among the owner’s priorities for October. The initial conversations could begin within the next two or three weeks.
Rabiot will turn 32 in April, so a two-year renewal, possibly with an option for a third season, could carry him through the final major stage of his career in red and black. The financial and contractual details remain open, but Milan’s intention is firm, while the player’s representatives, led by his mother Véronique, have kept a low profile in recent weeks.
A midfielder who found his footing in Milan
His arrival was shaped by a sequence of circumstances that now looks particularly favourable for Milan. Massimiliano Allegri’s presence on the Rossoneri bench played a part in attracting him, while his dispute at Marseille with former team-mate Jonathan Rowe, now at Atalanta, altered the French club’s plans. Roberto De Zerbi removed both players from the group after their confrontation, and Marseille agreed to sell Rabiot for €7 million.
Marseille themselves had signed him without a fee only a year earlier, when Rabiot decided not to extend his Juventus contract. He reached Milan on 1 September 2025 and made his Serie A debut in the third league fixture. From that point, his first campaign was remarkably consistent: he missed five matches because of a calf injury sustained on international duty and another two through suspension, but started all 29 of his remaining appearances and completed every one of them.
The beginning of this season has been less straightforward, though it has reinforced his value. After taking an extended summer break agreed with both the club and Amorim, Rabiot returned to Milanello only one week before the league campaign began. Amorim had therefore prepared the opening side without him, using the Frenchman from the bench in Turin. Even with limited training behind him, Rabiot changed that match with assists and a goal.
He was again introduced as a substitute against Venezia before making his first start away to Juventus, where he was placed behind the forwards and taken off after an hour. It was the first time in his Milan spell that he had left the field before full time. Starts against Lazio and Lecce brought him back into central midfield, the area where he can either drop deeper to support the build-up or arrive late into attacking positions as the match requires.
Rabiot has made clear that he is willing to operate as an attacking midfielder when needed, a task not entirely unfamiliar after De Zerbi had moved him closer to goal in Marseille. But his strongest claim has been made from midfield, where his presence has given Milan continuity amid the early adjustments of Amorim’s project.
He has also spoken openly about his attachment to the club, saying: “I have never considered leaving Milan; I am happy here.” His celebrations after scoring against Torino and then Lecce have underlined that position. While other senior figures, including captain and fellow Frenchman Mike Maignan, have not made the same public commitment, Rabiot has left little doubt about his preference. Milan, in turn, are preparing to make sure that the next chapter of his career remains in red and black.
