Manchester United have refused to pay Fiorentina’s €15 million valuation of midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, according to Corriere dello Sport (page 26).
The Red Devils are keen on re-signing the Moroccan following his loan spell at Old Trafford last season but don’t want to overshoot their budget.
The way things stand, Amrabat will stay at Fiorentina this coming season despite Man United’s interest in his services.
Amrabat blew hot and cold during his time at United last season. After a poor start to the campaign, he began to pick up form towards the end, playing an influential role as they claimed the FA Cup.
Manager Erik ten Hag would love to bring him back, with the club desperately needing a defensive midfielder to provide competition for Casemiro.
United have accepted an offer from Napoli for Scott McTominay, leaving a hole in midfield, but it appears Amrabat may not be the man to plug that gap.
Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the Reds could return to Paris Saint-Germain for Manuel Ugarte. They had pulled out of negotiations for the Uruguayan, but recent developments will likely force them back into the mix.
United’s lack of athleticism in the middle of the park has been a cause for concern for some time, and the problem reared its ugly head again during the 2-1 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion over the weekend.
Ten Hag has to galvanise this squad to control games better and be more physical in their duels – the latter is a problem Ugarte should help resolve.
In the meantime, Man United will try to shed some excess skin by trimming their squad. Man United are reportedly negotiating with Juventus regarding a move for Jadon Sancho, who is deemed surplus to requirements at the club.
The Serie A side are eyeing a loan deal, but United want to offload him permanently. It remains to be seen if a compromise can be reached.
