- Carrick’s Heir Apparent:
The midfielder from Fiorentina, Sofyan Amrabat, is another well-known player who may be willing to leave Italy for Old Trafford this summer, as Manchester United appears to still be interested in acquiring him.
What have the most recent Man United transfer rumors been?
Recently, the Red Devils appear to have concentrated their attention on the Serie A market. Erik ten Hag’s team has reached an agreement with Inter Milan for the signing of custodian Andre Onana, while the club is also continuing its chase of Atalanta star Rasmus Hojlund.
The Premier League powerhouses are reportedly in “contact” regarding a move for the 26-year-old, with the “basics of a deal” reportedly being in place, according to Miguel Delaney of the Independent. Those deals might be followed by the acquisition of Amrabat.
However, the article also states that any interest in the former Club Brugge star, who has one year left on his current deal in Florence, will rely on player sales at the Theatre of Dreams. The 6-foot-1 ace is said to be worth around £30 million.
The calibre of Sofyan Amrabat?
It may come as a surprise that United is showing such a strong interest in the playmaker from the Netherlands given that the team has already strengthened its midfield with the addition of Mason Mount, and teenage prodigy Kobbie Mainoo appears destined to stay with the first team rather than go on loan.
Having coached Amrabat when in charge of Eredivisie club FC Utrecht, though, Ten Hag is fully aware of the characteristics that the player may offer to the Red Devils should a trade occur. Ten Hag is also 53 years old.
Since their time together, when the 49-cap star amassed ten assists in just 50 games under the Dutchman’s guidance, Amrabat has gone on to achieve much greater heights after shining for his country at the World Cup last year. CBS’ Ives Galarcep famously called Amrabat a “beast” during his performances at the tournament.
The £32k per week star, who later assisted his club in reaching the Europa Conference League final and reportedly ‘put then-West Ham United skipper Declan Rice to school’, was a member of a Moroccan team that advanced to the round of 16 in Qatar.
Amrabat has a number of key qualities that make him an intriguing prospect, including his ability to control play at the base of the midfield, which is demonstrated by the fact that he ranks in the top 5% of players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion and in the top 11% for attempted passes.
Since the now-retired Englishman was simply a master at managing a game during his heyday at United, that quality might make the Fiorentina star the ideal successor to Carrick at Old Trafford.
The former Tottenham Hotspur player, who made 464 appearances during a glittering, trophy-laden spell with the Red Devils, was hailed by Pep Guardiola as “one of the best-holding midfielders” he’d ever seen back in 2017. According to his former teammate Gary Neville, he also brought “authority, control [and] peace” to the side whenever he played.
Carrick was noted for his forward-thinking style in his deep-lying slot, just like Amrabat, who ranks in the top 8% for progressive passes. Former United manager Louis van Gaal once said:
He is among the top passers. Not just wide, but also forward.
Having acquired Casemiro, a five-time Champions League champion, last summer, Ten Hag is undoubtedly not lacking for quality in the midfield ranks, but it wouldn’t hurt to have another top-tier player at the ready, especially one with the traits of a legendary figure like Carrick.