Manchester United are known to scout for talented footballers during transfer periods. They signed Sofyan Amrabat for £8.5 million from Fiorentina on loan for the rest of the season in the summer deadline. However, the defensive midfielder hasn’t had a huge impact at Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag praised Amrabat’s skills when he joined the Red Devils, indicating that the footballer can play four key roles.
The manager stated, “What we missed in our squad was behind Casemiro, another, typical holding midfielder. So with him, we have one. But also Amrabat can play alongside Casemiro because he is also capable of playing in a higher position on the pitch, also he can play as a wing-back or full-back.”
Amrabat’s Position at Manchester United
Ten Hag excluded another role that Amrabat is good at; being an extra player at Carrington training sessions and a bench warmer on the pitch. The Moroccan midfielder has only started once this year, in the FA Cup against Nottingham Forest. Manchester United got a 1-0 victory in the tournament’s fifth round.
Amrabat’s previous start before the FA Cup was in December against Liverpool. He has become irrelevant late in the 2023/2024 Premier League season. Reports indicate that the footballer has played about 1,100 minutes for the Red Devils. Therefore, he has an average of 157 minutes per month.
The Manchester United Midfielder Played in AFCON
Amrabat traveled to Morocco in January to represent his country in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. His absence at Old Trafford didn’t affect the team’s performance.
The soccer gods seemed to have abandoned Amrabat at Ivory Coast since Morocco didn’t reach AFCON’s quarterfinals. South Africa beat them 2-0 in the knockout stage and ended their dream to win the trophy. The Atlas Lions were a fan favorite after reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Amrabat Dissapoints His Club and Fans
Many Manchester United die-hards hoped Amrabat would steer the club to being among the top three in the standings. Some people analyzed his performance at Fiorentina and others were thrilled watching him in Qatar. The player didn’t hesitate to tackle tough opponents like Kylian Mbappe.
Amrabat’s performance at Old Trafford is disheartening. Ten Hag initially started him to help Carlos Casemiro in the midfield. However, Amrabat hasn’t surpassed Casemiro and his loan fee is a waste for Manchester United. The club is highly unlikely to sign a €25m permanent contract with him in the summer.
Besides, recruitment staff had doubts over his suitability in the club before they signed him. Ten Hag worked with the midfielder at FC Utrecht and supported his signing at Old Trafford.
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