Manchester United are hoping to conclude a deal for a standout player from the men’s World Cup, and unsurprisingly he has already worked with Erik ten Hag before.
Since arriving at Manchester United last summer, Ten Hag has already signed three players he has previously worked with as a manager before, with Lisandro Martinez, Antony and Andre Onana all linking up again with the Dutchman.
That trend looks set to continue with Ten Hag’s latest target, too, as Manchester United look to get another signing over the line before the transfer deadline at 11pm on Friday.
According to The Athletic, Manchester United are working on a deal for Fiorentina and Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, who played under the Red Devils boss at Dutch side Utrecht between 2015 and 2017.
There are financial fair play considerations from Manchester United, though, meaning any deal for the 27-year-old will likely be a loan. That stance could change if they manage to sell a few members of the squad for some cash before the deadline, however.
The report also states that Amrabat is keen on a move to Old Trafford, after being linked away from the Serie A side for the majority of the summer. Liverpool and Atletico Madrid have also been linked, but Manchester United have retained their interest throughout.
With just a year remaining on his current contract, with Fiorentina having the option to extend by a further year, Amrabat seemed destined to leave for around £24m this summer. That hasn’t come to fruition for the Moroccan so far, but he is still holding out hope.
A box-to-box midfielder, Amrabat’s highlights came to the fore at World Cup 2022, where he captained his country to the semi-finals.
Famed for his tenacious defensive work and diligence on the ball, he could slot straight into Ten Hag’s Manchester United side alongside Casemiro, or as an alternative option to the Brazilian.