Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag arrives ahead of the pre-season friendly between Arsenal and Manchester United at MetLife Stadium on July 22, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Manchester United want World Cup 2022 star – who’s already worked with Ten Hag before: report

August 30, 2023 Sports 2 Views

Manchester United are hoping to conclude a deal for a standout player from the men’s World Cup, and unsurprisingly he has already worked with Erik ten Hag before.

Since arriving at Manchester United last summer, Ten Hag has already signed three players he has previously worked with as a manager before, with Lisandro Martinez, Antony and Andre Onana all linking up again with the Dutchman.

That trend looks set to continue with Ten Hag’s latest target, too, as Manchester United look to get another signing over the line before the transfer deadline at 11pm on Friday.

Sofyan Amrabat of ACF Fiorentina in action during the Pre-season Friendly match between Grosseto and Fiorentina at Stadio Olimpico on August 1, 2023 in Grosseto, Italy. Manchester United — United are looking to bring in Amrabat this summer (Image credit: Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

According to The Athletic, Manchester United are working on a deal for Fiorentina and Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, who played under the Red Devils boss at Dutch side Utrecht between 2015 and 2017.

There are financial fair play considerations from Manchester United, though, meaning any deal for the 27-year-old will likely be a loan. That stance could change if they manage to sell a few members of the squad for some cash before the deadline, however.

The report also states that Amrabat is keen on a move to Old Trafford, after being linked away from the Serie A side for the majority of the summer. Liverpool and Atletico Madrid have also been linked, but Manchester United have retained their interest throughout.

Sofyan Amrabat playing at World Cup 2022 for Morocco - Manchester United target

Amrabat shone for Morocco at the men’s World Cup (Image credit: Getty)

With just a year remaining on his current contract, with Fiorentina having the option to extend by a further year, Amrabat seemed destined to leave for around £24m this summer. That hasn’t come to fruition for the Moroccan so far, but he is still holding out hope.

A box-to-box midfielder, Amrabat’s highlights came to the fore at World Cup 2022, where he captained his country to the semi-finals.

Famed for his tenacious defensive work and diligence on the ball, he could slot straight into Ten Hag’s Manchester United side alongside Casemiro, or as an alternative option to the Brazilian.