There is at least some truth to the reports suggesting that one of Manchester United’s FA Cup heroes has admirers at a club who recently smashed the 100-point barrier to secure their domestic top-flight crown.
But is a move really on the cards this summer? Perhaps not.
While admitting that he is a fan of a man who looks destined to have played his last game for Manchester United beating bitter rivals Man City at Wembley, Galatasaray’s head coach Okan Buruk appears to suggest that the Turkish Super Lig champions do not have the finances required to stump up the sort of fee needed to bring Sofyan Amrabat to Istanbul.
Man United are hesitating over whether to trigger the £21 million option-to-buy clauseObligation or option to buy: Sofyan Amrabat Man Utd transfer clause explained in the Moroccan midfielder’s Fiorentina contract.
But presuming that the Europa Conference League runners-up are not going to drop their demands – and Buruk obviously feels that is unlikely – Amrabat will not be linking up with former Premier League charges Wilfried Zaha, Davinson Sanchez, Tete, Carlos Vinicius, Serge Aurier, Lucas Torreira and Tanguy Ndombele any time soon.
Sofyan Amrabat likely to leave Manchester United
“I did not meet with Amrabat [recently],” Buruk tells Fotomac, albeit while admitting that Galatasaray held talks in the summer of 2023, only for the Erik ten Hag favourite to end up securing his dream move to Old Trafford instead.
“I met him last year. He went to Manchester United at the last minute.
“(Amrabat is) an important player. Prices have skyrocketed in Europe. Depending on who you ask, (Amrabat is worth) 20, 25, 35 (million euros).
“Player prices have increased by two or three times now.”
Despite an impressive end to the campaign – Amrabat was outstanding at Wembley in the place of Casemiro – recency bias should not distract from what was still a largely underwhelming loan spell in Man United red.
FA Cup winner is too expensive for Galatasaray
According to Amrabat’s brother – the former Watford winger Nordin – Man United have until the end of June to trigger that purchase clause. The FA Cup winners don’t appear to be rushing to do that, however, even if Sofyan is not yet ready to give up on his chances of securing a long-time deal at Old Trafford.
“Do I already know what I’m going to do next year? No. We are going to talk,” Amrabat, who previously worked with Ten Hag at Utrecht in the Eredivisie, told Ziggo Sport.
“Staying is certainly an option. Look, I think it has been a very difficult season. For Manchester United it needs to be much better, and also for me personally.
“(The season) wasn’t easy. I have always remained calm and trained very hard. Ultimately, that patience has been rewarded.
‘We are going to talk. Manchester United are the biggest club in the world, so who wouldn’t want to play football here? But all parties have to be happy with each other, so we will sit down now and see what happens.”
Fiorentina director Daniele Prade said last week that the door is open for Amrabat to return to Florence. But the 27-year-old, he feels, has ‘different plans’.
Buruk, meanwhile, recently made some intriguing comments amid claims that Galatasaray have made an offer to bring in Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Manchester United.
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