Napoli’s Max Allegri pushes for reunion with Adrien Rabiot in Serie A transfer saga

Max Allegri wants the band back together. The newly appointed Napoli head coach has made Adrien Rabiot his top transfer priority, attempting to reunite with the French midfielder he once molded into one of Serie A’s most complete players at Juventus.

There’s just one problem: AC Milan doesn’t want to sell.

The pitch from Naples

Allegri, who signed a multi-year deal with Napoli running through 2029, has wasted no time reshaping the squad to his specifications. Reports of his interest in the 31-year-old Rabiot surfaced in late May 2026, making the midfielder one of the very first names on the new coach’s wish list.

Allegri was the manager who integrated Rabiot into Italian football during their shared time at Juventus, and the two developed a productive working relationship. Allegri also facilitated Rabiot’s transfer to AC Milan during the 2025 summer window after the player had a fallout with Olympique Marseille. Rabiot has apparently expressed a desire to link up with Allegri again at Napoli.

Napoli made an initial approach for Rabiot in early June 2026, and Milan promptly shut it down. No formal deal has materialized as of early July.

Milan’s position and the standoff

Allegri himself has recent history with Milan, having been dismissed by the Rossoneri following the 2025-26 season before landing at Napoli. That adds an extra layer of awkwardness to negotiations.

What this means for Serie A’s competitive balance

Reports have linked Napoli with Scott McTominay as another potential midfield addition, particularly if Frank Anguissa’s transfer away from the club goes through. Allegri appears to be planning for multiple scenarios, but Rabiot remains the priority piece.

Napoli’s decision to hand Allegri a contract through 2029 represents a long-term bet on a manager who has won multiple Serie A titles. The Rabiot pursuit suggests Allegri is focused on acquiring players who already know how to execute his system rather than spending time integrating new ones.

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