Morocco’s head coach believes Manchester United target Sofyan Amrabat is now on the verge of joining a ‘new club’ as Fiorentina eye potential replacements.
Alexa, define ‘big game player’. Sofyan Amrabat ran the show as Morocco defeated Spain, Belgium and Portugal at the Qatar World Cup; the Atlas Lions becoming the first African side in the competition’s history to reach the semi-finals.
He was outstanding, too, during Fiorentina’s Conference League decider against West Ham earlier this month.
The stand-out player on the Prague pitch, even Declan Rice – the Hammers’ £100 million captain – was made to look ordinary by an Amrabat performance which shone a light on his elite off-the-ball ability and his oft-undervalued talents on it.
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Manchester United like Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat
According to both Amrabat’s agent and his older brother, Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United have shown an interest in the £35 million-rated battleaxe since the turn of the year.
A move away from La Viola may be imminent, too; Morocco coach Walid Regragui confirming that the former Feyenoord ace has left the ‘camp’ as he closes in a big summer move.
“Amrabat is leaving the camp,” says Regragui, who describes Amrabat as a ‘world-class’ talent.
“He has already played a lot this season and, furthermore, it seems that he is going to sign for a new club.
“We are not going to risk him.”
Amrabat would cost around a third of the fee West Ham and Brighton want for Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo respectively, though any approach from Old Trafford is likely to be placed on the backburner until Ten Hag can first bring in a centre-forward and a more attack-minded midfielder, a la Mason Mount.
A £35 million bargain
Ten Hag, meanwhile, has worked with Amrabat once already. Amrabat made his name under the Dutchman at FC Utrecht, paving the way for a 2017 switch to Feyenoord.
“I had doubts,” Ten Hag told BD back in 2017. “Has he chosen the right moment (to leave)? Is he ready now? You can never really predict that.
“(But) the fact that Amrabat moves to De Kuip can be explained. Souf is composed, unyielding. That is an additional quality. He will and must play, even if he has to go over five walls or through five walls. (He will play) even if he has to fight for it, for weeks or months.
“Now he’s at Feyenoord, you see that the extra resilience he has to give an impulse to his game.”
Tuttomercatoweb are now reporting that Fiorentina are eyeing replacements for the wantaway Amrabat. Sassuolo’s Maxime Lopez is high on their radar.
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