Football
Jonathan Johnson, PSG correspondent 5y

PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot 'indefinitely benched' for contract refusals - Antero Henrique

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Antero Henrique has told Yahoo SportĀ France that wantaway midfielder Adrien Rabiot will not play for the French champions again unless he signs a new contract.

The France international, who rejected the chance to be a reserve for this summer's World Cup squad in Russia, has rejected numerous approaches from PSG to tie him down to a new deal since coach Thomas Tuchel's arrival but none have succeeded.

As revealed last week when sources told ESPN FC, the Ligue 1 giants intended to make Rabiot one final offer, but Henrique appears to have confirmed to Yahoo that those hopes are now over.

"At this point, no [discussions will not continue]," said the Portuguese. "The club decided this after a meeting that I had with the player.

"The player informed me that he will not be signing a new contract and that he wants to leave the club as a free agent at the end of the season [also the end of his contract].

"For the player, the consequences are clear -- he is indefinitely benched."

Henrique admitted his surprise that Rabiot, who has come through the ranks at Parc des Princes, has not committed his future to his formative club despite agreements over all of his sporting demands.

"A few months ago, there were positive exchanges with his representative [agent and mother Veronique] with a view to him staying with the club and signing a new deal," the former Porto man explained. "We also accepted all of his conditions regarding things related to what happens on the pitch.

"We discussed these specifics to ensure that he would stay with us for many years. Unfortunately, since then, negotiations have completely stopped."

Henrique went a step further and accused Rabiot of being "disrespectful" towards PSG and their fans as a youth academy graduate and stressed that every one of the capricious 23-year-old's whims has been indulged.

"It seems that the player and his representative have totally misled us for the past few months," he said. "I must add that this situation is disrespectful towards both the club and the supporters.

"Especially considering that he is a player who has played in these colours all the way from the academy to the first team. This player has always received the club's full support."

Earlier on Monday, Tuchel told journalists that "I cannot promise you that Adrien will finish the season with us," during a prematch news conference ahead of Tuesday's trip to Orleans in the Coupe de la Ligue.

"He has not said 'yes' to us yet, so anything is possible. I need a No. 6. It was the case this summer and it still is the case, especially with things the way they are with Adrien."

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