It was a deal that took right up until deadline day to complete, but it appears that the transfer of Sofyan Amrabat from Fiorentina to Man United was never in doubt.
First reports of a potential switch emerged back in June, and the longer things went on without a successful conclusion, the more likely it appeared that the Moroccan international wouldn’t be plying his trade at Old Trafford during the 2023/24 campaign and beyond.
However, the strategy that Erik ten Hag and the club employed, ensuring certain other deals were in place and finalised first, before moving on to the Serie A ace, worked perfectly.
Official, confirmed. Sofyan Amrabat joins Manchester United ???
“I’m someone who always listens to my heart and now I am representing the club of my dreams”. ??? pic.twitter.com/iOvITggYA8
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 1, 2023
He joins Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund, Sergio Reguilon and Altay Bayindir as new Red Devils players, all of whom will have a point to prove after United’s stuttering star to the season.
‘The deal to take Sofyan Amrabat to Man United was never close to collapsing,’ transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, wrote in his exclusive CaughtOffside Substack.
‘It was never advanced in June or July as was reported by many other sources, and the bid wasn’t actually in until Deadline Day. Man United decided on that strategy as much due to Financial Fair Play issues as anything else and, in the end, it worked perfectly.
‘He was always only waiting for Man United.’
Though they’ve won two of their three opening games this season, they’ve not convinced in either of them, and United were also undone at White Hart Lane against a Tottenham side that didn’t really have to get out of second gear.
Ten Hag will surely be hoping that hanging his hat on all of the signings made doesn’t come back to haunt him during the season.
There was evident progress made by the Dutchman in 2022/23, and moving forward rather than back is the order of the day for the Old Trafford outfit.