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Opinion: One £10m deal may leave Liverpool fans nervous about transfer Julian Ward is targeting

Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images
Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images
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Liverpool want Sofyan Amrabat but the history of signing players who excelled at the World Cup may leave Reds fans a little worried.

The Reds are likely to be very busy during the 2023 transfer windows.

Midfield additions are absolutely imperative for Liverpool and Jude Bellingham looks to be the top target.

Then there is Sofyan Amrabat, the Fiorentina midfielder who has become a sensation with Morocco at the World Cup.

Foot Mercato claim that Jurgen Klopp personally held a meeting with Amrabat’s representatives to discuss a 2023 transfer.

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg adds that sporting director Julian Ward is pushing the interest in Amrabat and is a huge fan of the Morocco star.

A push for Amrabat’s signature seems to be ongoing ahead of the January transfer window but Liverpool fans may fear another El Hadji Diouf.

liverpool Sofyan Amrabat
Photo by Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Liverpool fans may be wary of Amrabat hype

Cast your minds back to 2002. El Hadji Diouf has just run France ragged in the stunning 2002 World Cup opener, helping Senegal to a shock 1-0 win.

Liverpool then pushed to sign Diouf, securing a £10million deal for the Lens attacker.

Liverpool were already interested in Diouf before the World Cup but talks with Lens really dragged on after his World Cup performances.

Diouf’s displays in Japan and South Korea undoubtedly tempted them to snub Nicolas Anelka and seal the move in the end.

Excitement was high as Diouf started his Liverpool career but he never really managed to replicate his Senegal success.

Six goals in 79 games for Liverpool wasn’t quite what Diouf or the Reds would have hoped for, and Diouf’s best spell arguably came with Bolton Wanders.

Diouf stayed around British football with Sunderland, Blackburn Rovers, Rangers, Doncaster Rovers and Leeds United but never really lived up to the hype.

Diouf is now considered to be one of Liverpool’s worst ever signings and will always leave Reds fans a little worried about signing players off World Cup hype.

Amrabat has been a solid if unspectacular Serie A midfielder with Fiorentina yet is now in the form of his life over in Qatar.

Maybe Amrabat is just coming into his best days and can continue this form for years to come, but Liverpool fans will naturally have that Diouf fear in the back of their minds.