Goals, nominations, leadership, renewal: Summer storm clears as Rabiot shines through

After a summer filled with upheaval and doubts, Adrien Rabiot has emerged from this first month of the season as a continued certainty.

It is in times of great change when the true leaders and examples emerge. While the campaign is still young and there is a lot of football still to be played, there are few who set a level quite as high as Rabiot, and the rewards for that are coming.

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The summer storm

As a reminder, there were times when Rabiot’s fate seemed up in the air. The departure of his mentor Massimiliano Allegri prompted exit talk which only intensified when the coach headed to Napoli, a club that could offer Champions League football.

And yet, nothing ever truly became concrete. When the appointment of Ruben Amorim was made official, what filtered was the news that the new head coach intended to make the Frenchman one of the key pillars around which his side would be shaped in his 3-4-2-1 system.

Despite this, more rough seas were ahead and it all centred around Rabiot’s post-World Cup plans. He and his compatriot Mike Maignan asked for and obtained extended vacation, meaning they missed all of the preseason friendlies which some fans and pundits saw as an abdication of their duties.

It was downplayed at the time by Amorim and then early in the season by Rabiot. What has followed in the weeks since has been categorical proof that there needn’t have been any doubts regarding the level the 31-year-old could immediately operate at.

Exceptional performances

They always say in football that the proof is what happens on the field, and Adrien Rabiot is already demonstrating that he is maybe as comfortable and as confident as he has been at any point in his time at Milan.

It took just 34 minutes for the ‘Crazy Horse’ to remind everyone what he can do. In round one against Torino, he came on with the game tied at 0-0 and effectively earned Milan the three points with an assist for Alphadjo Cisse and then a goal of his own.

A more difficult start in the attacking midfielder role against Juventus was then followed by a game against Lazio in which he registered another assist in the comeback. Most recently was his goal versus Lecce at San Siro, capping off a brilliant team move and a one-two with Goncalo Ramos.

The result of the past month? Rabiot has been shortlisted for the EA Sports FC Player Of The Month award for August-September along with Davide Frattesi (Lazio), Giorgi Kvernadze (Frosinone), Daniel Maldini (Cagliari), Donyell Malen (Roma) and Lautaro Martinez (Inter).

🔴⚫️ 15 PASSES. ONE BEAUTIFUL GOAL.

Milan’s second goal against Lecce came after 15 consecutive passes without Lecce touching the ball. Rabiot finished off a move built on patience, movement and a sudden vertical acceleration. 👏✨ pic.twitter.com/ONaqrfHxA5

— GC Football ⚽ (@GoalCrestX) September 24, 2026

International recognition

While there was a lot of change for the former PSG and Juventus midfielder to process at club level, there has also been a pretty big shift in the French national team ranks too. Didier Deschamps’ tenure ended after 14 years as head coach, with the baton passing to Zinedine Zidane.

With this naturally came some doubts about pre-existing hierarchies that might be overturned. Given the amount of talent at the disposal of Zidane – a former midfielder himself – this could certainly have impacted Rabiot’s permanence in the double pivot.

Instead, it appears as though the Milan man remains destined to play a big role under the new coach too. It emerged from RMC Sport (via MilanNews) that Zidane has established the captains’ hierarchy based on their number of international caps.

That means Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Adrien Rabiot and Jules Koundé are the four captains in order. Mbappe has 106 games for the French national team, while Dembele has 67 caps, Rabiot 66 and Koundé 56. Seniority and importance immediately recognised.

A contract ‘for life’

Rabiot is a consistent performer and a leader for his club and his country, but at 31 there is a crossroads of sorts approaching. His deal at Milan runs until the end of next season (2028, with an option for another year), so the time for that ‘last big contract’ might well be approaching.

The unanimous verdict from sources in the past few days is that Milan want to push that contract deadline back by two years, to at least 2030. Gerry Cardinale himself will handle the negotiations soon, with October a key month given the pause in club football.

Rabiot will turn 32 in April, and a possible two-year extension (or even a two-year extension with the option for a third) would allow him to finish his career at the highest level with the Rossoneri, hopefully with Champions League and maybe further trophies to show for it.

The player’s interests as always are being handled by his mother-agent Veronique, who has recently chosen to remain silent after previously being more outspoken. Milan will begin talks too, hoping to lock down their golden Duce (Duke) who only cost €7m.