Portugal Colonial - Rowe signs for Bologna after Marseille bust-up

Bologna offered no more details on the transfer but Italian media report that the Serie A club agreed with Marseille a fee of 19.5 million euros for Rowe who has signed a four-year deal.

Marseille announced Rowe's departure in a brief post on their website, wishing him "Good Luck".

Rowe, 22, signed for Marseille on loan from Norwich last year and scored three times in 28 games in his first season in Ligue 1, before his move was made permanent in the summer.

But the Under-21 England international was put up for sale on Tuesday, in the aftermath of his altercation with Rabiot which Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi called a "bar fight".

The brawl kicked off after a 1-0 defeat in Marseille's opening fixture of the Ligue 1 season at Rennes, a game which they lost to a stoppage-time goal after playing for an hour with an extra man.

"It was a fight like I've never seen in all my years in football. For the first time in my career, I didn't know what to say or what to do," said De Zerbi on Friday.

"I've never seen anything like it. I come from the streets, I'm used to fights. But I've never seen anything like this. The club's bodyguards were trying to separate them. Normally they're supposed to protect us from others, not from ourselves."

Club president Pablo Longoria describing the incident as "extremely violent" in an interview with AFP, but on Saturday De Zerbi said he hoped the relationship between Marseille and Rabiot could be "repaired".

Marseille beat promoted Paris FC 5-2 on Saturday to get up and running a season which will also include Champions League football.

Italian Cup holders Bologna began their Serie A campaign with a 1-0 defeat at Roma, also on Saturday.

P.Serra--PC