Summary
Manchester United have "discussed" signing Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, however the move is nowhere near as advanced as reports have suggested, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
Is Sofyan Amrabat joining Man United?
There have been reports that Amrabat has packed his bags ahead of a move to Old Trafford, as he believes Man United and Fiorentina are close to reaching an agreement, after an offer of £21.5m was made for his services last week.
That bid was just shy of the Italian club's asking price, which is believed to be £26m, however the midfielder is confident a deal will be struck in the coming days, so he has started to prepare for a move to Manchester.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed that "conversations" have been held with the Moroccan's camp, with the player himself "open" to a move to Old Trafford, but he does not believe it is close to being a done deal.
That viewpoint is shared by Jacobs, who recently told GiveMeSport that while United have expressed an interest in the 26-year-old, the move is nowhere near as close as has been suggested by the media.
The journalist said: “So, it is true that a defensive midfielder is a possibility in terms of the position that Manchester United may look to strengthen next, should they get Rasmus Hojlund over the line and Sofyan Amrabat is on the list.
“But I’m still not aware, despite the reports, of any bid or anything imminent on the Amrabat front. So, it’s fair to say that the player is there and has been discussed by Manchester United, but I don’t actually think that it’s as far along or as focused as perhaps being reported by others.”
How good is Sofyan Amrabat?
The Red Devils were keen on signing the Morocco international during the January transfer window, having been impressed by his performances for the Atlas Lions at the World Cup, however they instead opted to sign Marcel Sabitzer.
Journalist Charlie Parker-Turner was also wowed by the central midfielder's performances out in Qatar, saying: "Sofyan Amrabat is in the conversation for Player of the Tournament. Unbelievable warrior of a midfielder."
Not only has the maestro impressed at international level, he has also put in some top-quality performances for Fiorentina, averaging a pass success rate of 89.2% in the Serie A last season, the second-highest of any midfielder to play over 1500 minutes.
However, there may be some justified concerns about the lack of attacking threat posed by the Fiorentina ace, who has failed to score a non-penalty goal in the past year, while his defensive attributes can also be called into question.
The World Cup star ranks in just the 32nd percentile for tackles, and the 42nd percentile for interceptions per 90 over the past year, indicating he may not be as solid a defensive midfielder as Man United fans were hoping for.
Of course, Amrabat has proven he is capable of performing at the top level, with journalist Greg Lea describing him as the "heartbeat" of the Morocco side that reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, but there are question marks over whether he is good enough for the Red Devils.
