Sofyan Amrabat could be on his way out of Fiorentina this summer and the midfielder's past relationship with Erik ten Hag could give Manchester United the upper hand in the race for his signature.
After an impressive World Cup campaign with Morocco the 26-year-old attracted interest from across Europe during the January window. A move didn't materialise, but the summer window is set to reignite speculation.
United are thought to be keen on Amrabat, and Italian outlet RAI [via Sportskeeda] has gone as far as to suggest that personal terms have already been agreed, with the Reds prepared to double his salary. Last week's agreement with Chelsea for Mason Mount looks to have filled the midfield gap, and Ten Hag is working under tight budgetary constraints.
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Despite not having a huge transfer kitty, United may have the advantage over other potential suitors, with Ten Hag having already managed Amrabat during their time together at FC Utrecht. Born in the Netherlands, the midfielder joined the Dutch outfit in 2007. He broke into the first-team picture in 2014, with Ten Hag taking charge the next year.
“That was so important for me,” Amrabat told The Athletic in March when asked about his time with Ten Hag. “It was my second year in the first team. He made a plan for me. He asked me about my strong points and what I wanted to improve.
"From the first day, he was busy with me. Not only me, all the players. A lot of coaches are busy in general with the team but he put a lot of time into individual work because he knew if the individual was better the team would be better.
“After every game, he would take me through a video and explain everything to me. I was 18 or 19 years old, so sometimes I was thinking ‘oof, again?’. But now, when I look back, I know it was so important for my career. I learned such a lot from him.”
Amrabat and Ten Hag both left Utrecht in 2017 and went their separate ways. The midfielder joined Feyenoord in the summer of that year, while his former boss would be in the Ajax dugout by December.
But the Morocco international evidently remembers his time under Ten Hag fondly, especially during such a crucial time in his young career. Plenty needs to fall into place if United are to move forward in their pursuit of Amrabat, but the offer of a reunion could tip the scales in their favour.
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