The future of Sofyan Amrabat remains unclear, with Manchester United yet to rule out the possibility of the midfielder remaining at Old Trafford.
Speaking to Ziggo Sport after a memorable FA Cup victory in May, Amrabat said: “Do I already know what I’m going to do next year? No. We are going to talk. Staying is certainly an option.
“Look, I think it has been a very difficult season. For Manchester United, it needs to be much better, and also for me personally.”
Whether the Morocco international extends his stay in Manchester is still to be announced, with his loan from Italian outfit Fiorentina set to expire on June 30.
However, United can sign the Dutch-born player if they choose to activate the £21.4 million (25m euros) release clause in his contract.
An underwhelming campaign
The defensive midfielder endured somewhat of an underwhelming Premier League campaign, having arrived to much fanfare on a season-long loan deal from the Serie A side on deadline day in September 2023.
He was acquired to bolster Erik ten Hag’s options in the engine room.
However, he began his spell nursing a back injury – before deputising at left-back for the injured duo of Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.
The 27-year-old then struggled to nail down a starting berth in his favoured deep-midfield role, initially due to Scott McTominay’s goal-scoring exploits, and then because of Kobbie Mainoo’s blistering emergence into United’s first-team during the winter.
Finishing with a flourish
The former Utrecht and Feyenoord man ended the 2023/24 campaign with a flourish.
He started the final four matches – including that impressive Cup final triumph over City.
After a slight tweak in tactics by Ten Hag, Amrabat was introduced for the narrow home defeat to Arsenal on May 12 and seemed to solidify the Manchester side’s midfield.
This led to further starts in the league victories over Newcastle and Brighton – both games where Amrabat did enough to earn a spot for the derby cup final.
His tenacious display earned widespread applause – with Paul Scholes comparing his performance to that of a prime Gattuso.
Verdict
My personal preference would be to keep Amrabat at the club, as he would be a relatively cheap acquisition at a time when money is scarce.
Despite a lack of pace and panache, he offers adequate cover in the number six role.
The likelihood now is that the Old Trafford deal brokers will bring in a first-choice midfield player to replace Casemiro – with the Brazilian likely to leave English football this summer.
A host of midfield stars have already been touted with a move to M16, but it would make sense to activate Amrabat’s release clause, too.
The Moroccan would be an affordable backup option rather than splashing out on two more expensive signings in this position.
Time will tell whether he will stay or go, but the clock is ticking – so a decision will no doubt be made shortly.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Should he stay?
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2 responses to “The uncertain future of Sofyan Amrabat at Manchester United – Opinion”
For me, given the price and his ability towards the back end of last season this transfer makes sense. I think he’s capable of providing quality depth in the middle of the park when used correctly as part of squad rotation.
Agreed. You can only assume Erik ten Hag will know what the player is capable of. I hope it gets done.