For the past few weeks, the Italian media have been growing increasingly impatient with the Sofyan Amrabat situation. As has everyone else, but the inclusion of Liverpool has brought some drama.
There’s been a widespread belief that a move to Manchester United is the likeliest outcome, with Fiorentina getting around €25-30m for their midfielder.
Indeed, Wednesday morning brought claims that Erik ten Hag’s side were taking their time, and knowing they had the approval of the player, could wait until the final days of the window… to try and get a discount.
That felt a little unreasonable. €25-30m for a 26-year-old midfielder who impressed at the World Cup looks Middle of Lidl level compared to much of what has gone on this summer.
Wednesday evening saw claims from the Netherlands, Dutch newspaper AD to be precise, that Amrabat was now actually on his way to Liverpool and talks were ongoing with Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Some immediately jumped to claim that it would be Fiorentina trying to pressure Manchester United. That is incredibly unlikely, because they simply wouldn’t be contacting the Dutch media about it.
It does not take much of a detective to work this one out. Amrabat may play for Morocco, but he was born and brought up in the Netherlands.
So it would appear people close to the player have either leaked genuine information about Liverpool talks, or there’s growing impatience with Manchester United dragging this out.
As soon as the story broke, we checked Italy and there wasn’t really much, if anything.
So let’s move to Thursday’s major Italian sport newspapers.
Gazzetta dello Sport have a sentence as part of a round-up, which will just be them covering the rumour.
Corriere dello Sport have much more for us.
Firstly, they report Liverpool re-established contact with Fiorentina a couple of days ago, having been rejected by other midfielders.
Amrabat is a ‘clear request’ from Jurgen Klopp, ‘who would have spoken directly with the midfielder’. However, Liverpool don’t want to pay the full €30m either and are ‘trying to find a solution’.
WON’T SOMEBODY JUST PAY THE €30M.
Anyway, intriguingly, Corriere dello Sport go on to say: ‘Amrabat after some hesitations – related to the preferences of his entourage – now seems convinced to accept the Liverpool court. Even if Manchester United has not left the scene and could forcefully return to the race.’
Now it appears a case of waiting for either club or another, and there’s loose Juventus links in Italy, to pay up.
