Former Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot has revealed his childhood admiration for watching former Nigeria international, Taye Taiwo, at Olympique Marseille, Soccernet.ng reports.
The former Super Eagles defender began his European career when he joined the French Ligue 1 side in 2005 from Nigeria Premier Football League club Lobi Stars.
The left-back went on to make 271 appearances for Marseille, scoring 25 goals as a defender and providing 23 assists.
Rabiot, who also spent time at Paris Saint-Germain, admitted that he enjoyed watching the team between the ages of 10 and 12.
The midfielder formerly targetted by Manchester United specifically mentioned players like Mamadou Niang, Toifilou Maoulida, and Taiwo as some of his favourites during that time.
“When I was younger, I liked watching OM, when I was 10–12 years old, when there was Mamadou Niang, Toifilou Maoulida, and Taye Taiwo. I liked watching Marseille, as I liked watching other teams,” Rabiot said with a smile.
Following the expiration of his contract with Juventus, the Frenchman, who was without a club since July, has recently signed a two-year deal with Marseille.
This means the 29-year-old will now wear the same colours as his childhood idols and will hope to make a similar impact to the legends who inspired him at the club.