'Nothing special' - Adrien Rabiot breaks silence on Jonathan Rowe fight that caused Marseille exit with pair set to go head-to-head in AC Milan signing's debut

Milan completed the signing of Rabiot from Marseille for €10 million (£8m/$11m), including bonuses, handing the ex-Juventus a three-year deal. The move came after Rabiot was frozen out in Marseille, having been banished to the transfer list following a dressing room altercation with Rowe after a 1-0 defeat to Rennes. Rowe has since left for Bologna, setting up a quick reunion between the pair in Serie A.

The transfer reunites Rabiot with Max Allegri, under whom he thrived at Juve. For Milan, the deal represents a chance to add experience and versatility to their midfield, especially as they aim to push Inter, Napoli and Juventus in the Serie A title race and make progress in Europe. The Rabiot-Rowe spat, while sensational at the time, is unlikely to overshadow the Frenchman’s fresh start at San Siro, with both players now in Italy and facing each other directly.

Speaking at his official Milan unveiling, the 30-year-old downplayed the incident with Rowe and insisted there was no bad blood between them: "There's nothing special with him. We texted each other after he went to Bologna and I went to Milan. We'll see each other on Sunday at San Siro; it'll be nice to see him. He's a good guy. What happened in Marseille is something that could happen anywhere; it hasn't changed our relationship. I'll be happy to see him, and he will be too."

Rabiot is in line to make his debut this weekend when Milan host Bologna at San Siro, where he will come face-to-face with Rowe once again. All eyes will be on how the midfielder settles back under Allegri, and whether the reunion adds extra spice to what could be a heated fixture.