Fiorentina should consider cashing in on Morocco’s World Cup enforcer Sofyan Amrabat if Premier League giants Liverpool are willing to pay a substantial fee for the midfielder, former Serie A director Gianluca Nani tells Firenze Viola.
Now, Amrabat is unlikely to be at the very top of Liverpool’s transfer wishlist.
But with Jude Bellingham adding more zeroes to his price-tag every time he steps onto the pitch in Qatar, and with Brighton already valuing Moises Caicedo at £70 million, Amrabat could be that perfect mix of both affordable and attainable.
‘Goldilocks footballer’, if you like. If Bellingham is too coveted, if Caicedo is too expensive, then Amrabat may be ‘just right’.
According to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, the former Feyenoord youngster has joined Bellingham and Caicedo on Liverpool’s radar as Jurgen Klopp looks to add some depth and intensity to an engine room leaking oil and in need of some fresh parts.
Liverpool impressed by Sofyan Amrabat’s Morocco displays at the Qatar World Cup
One of the breakthrough stars of the 2022 World Cup, Amrabat is the beating heart of this Morocco side. His tireless performances, particularly during the 2-0 group-stage victory over Belgium, had Morocco coach Walid Regragui labelling him a ‘world-class’ talent destined for the very top of the game.
Nani is not quite so gushing. But he is full of praise for the way Amrabat has bounced back after a difficult beginning in Italy.
“Amrabat is a very good player who didn’t get off to a good start (at Fiorentina). He may not be among the top three in the world in his role. But he is a good player who is justifying the money Fiorentina spent on him. He is at the heart of their project,” says Nani, who worked as a director at the likes of Brescia, West Ham United and Reading.
“Liverpool want him? I haven’t heard anything about that. But it’s true that Liverpool are looking for (players in) that role, and maybe more than one player.
“I don’t know if Amrabat is on their list. They will evaluate him, even if the intensity in the Premier League is a lot (to cope with). If Liverpool want a player, they will spend even 100 million euros.
“As far as Fiorentina is concerned, I am always in favour of giving in to reasonable offers and then reinvesting in the appropriate manner.”
Tottenham’s loss could be Liverpool’s gain
According to Corriere dello Sport, Fiorentina hope to extend Amrabat’s contract. The £26 million-rated battleaxe is set to become a free agent in less than two years’ time. Amrabat also came very close to joining Tottenham Hotspur in a recent transfer window.
“I am really incredibly proud of Sofyan,” says his brother, the former Watford winger Nordin Amrabat. “If you play so well on such a stage, then you have a lot to offer.
“I think that the top clubs in Europe that have been sleeping have now been shocked. In January, Sofyan was already around Tottenham Hotspur, but there was no agreement on the transfer fee with Fiorentina. I think the interested (clubs) will now be queuing up.”
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