Liverpool have overtaken Manchester United in the race to sign Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, according to reports from Italy.
It’s no secret that both clubs are looking to bring in another midfielder before the end of the transfer window and have settled on the 26-year-old as a key target.
Man Utd have has Amrabat on their radar for some time, with Erik ten Hag seeing him as an ideal midfield partner for Casemiro.
It’s been clear from Man Utd’s two matches so far this season that their midfield needs improvement. Mason Mount has struggled to hit the ground running and Casemiro has looked a shadow of his former self.
Bringing in a player like Amrabat could be exactly what the Red Devils need to compete at the top of the Premier League table this season.
These thoughts were echoed by Gary Neville. After Man Utd’s 2-0 defeat to Tottenham on Saturday, Neville said: “What’s clear is that Manchester United’s midfield needs bolstering.
“Ten Hag wants a number six who can play alongside Casemiro and at the moment the club can’t get players out to be able to fund that… What’s clear is that Ten Hag doesn’t want to revert back to Scott McTominay.”
Liverpool lead Man Utd in Amrabat race
Despite Man Utd’s need for midfield recruits, fresh reports from Italy suggest they may have to consider alternatives to their top target, Amrabat.
According to La Republica (as cited by Viola News), Liverpool are set to make an opening bid for Amrabat in the next few days. He has less than 12 months remaining on his contract and it is believed Fiorentina will demand around £25m for his services.
Liverpool have parted ways with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain since last season but have only brought in Dominik Szoboszlai, Alex Mac Allister and Wataru Endo to replace the midfield quartet so far.
As a result, Jurgen Klopp is now pushing to bring in Amrabat as his fourth midfield signing.
Amrabat made 29 Serie A appearances last term. Operating from defensive midfield, he made an average of 1.3 tackles and 0.7 interceptions per match. His performances have gained him a reputation as one of the best number sixes in Italy.
He also played a key role in helping Morocco reach the World Cup semi-final last year for the first time in their history – so there is certainly no doubting his quality.
With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if Liverpool can beat Man Utd to Amrabat by tabling an official offer in the next few days, as suggested.