Manchester United appear to be solving the transfer issues ahead of the deadline at 11 o'clock tonight, with Erik ten Hag pushing for a squad capable of competing in the Premier League and Champions League this season.
What's the latest on Sofyan Amrabat to Manchester United?
According to Sky Sports News [1st September, 09:51am), Manchester United are in advanced talks with Serie A outfit Fiorentina for midfield maestro Sofyan Amrabat.
Red Devils director of football negotiations Matt Hargreaves has flown to Italy today to try and close a deal for the Moroccan, with The Athletic's David Ornstein reporting that there is no agreement between the respective outfits.
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The reporter inside Old Trafford revealed that Amrabat was "keen to join" Erik ten Hag's side live on air, so it's now down to both clubs to agree on the terms of a deal, with La Viola thought to value him at £30m.
A loan deal with an obligation to buy has been discussed, but time is in short supply, so the United hierarchy will need to make progress swiftly.
How good is Sofyan Amrabat?
Despite Manchester United placing Amrabat at the top of the shopping list for the entirety of the summer transfer window, the closing stage is nigh and the 27-year-old has yet to join the fold at the Theatre of Dreams.
The prestigious Premier League outfit have closed a deal for Tottenham Hotspur left-back Sergio Reguilon today – to combat the long-term injury to Luke Shaw – but still need to buttress the midfield with a first-class acquisition.
Fabrizio Romano claimed that the midfielder has always been the "top target" for Ten Hag's side, having thrived at the centre of Fiorentina's squad and dazzled on the biggest stage with Morocco at the 2022 World Cup, with his nation becoming the first African side to reach the final four.
Described as the "best central midfielder in the tournament" by journalist Carlo Garganese for his escapades in Qatar, Amrabat was immense and completed 85% of his passes while averaging 2.3 tackles and 1.4 clearances per game as Morocco commendably came fourth.
One of the finest passers of the ball around, Amrabat ranks among the top 1% of positional peers for pass completion and the top 2% for passes attempted and progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.
The fact that the £32k-per-week ace maintains such precision despite the sheer volume of passes forged each match is a testament to his first-rate technical ability; for reference, Liverpool's Thiago Alcantara, one of Europe's most prominent maestros, ranks among the top 4% for passes attempted and 6% for progressive passes per 90, but only among the top 21% for pass completion.
By placing Amrabat into the squad, Ten Hag would open up a new dimension to the fluidity and drive of the midfield, threading the departments of the pitch together superlatively with such a sensational ball-player.
While this is his standout faculty, Amrabat is considered a "raging bull" in the midfield – as said by journalist Amine El Amri – with an admirable "defensive instinct", according to pundit Joe Cole.
It is because of this that United would land a massive upgrade on Scott McTominay by signing the 6 foot 1 gem, with the Scotland international said to be "not good enough" for the Red Devils by club legend Roy Keane.
McTominay is also attracting attention from the likes of Fulham, who are establishing contingency plans in case Joao Palhinha departs for Bayern Munich today, and United might be wise to ship the long-serving player on to recuperate funds for the Amrabat deal.
McTominay is a tenacious defensive presence and ranks among the top 1% of midfielders for clearances and aerial wins per 90, but only ranks among the top 52% for pass completion and the bottom 7% for progressive passes per 90.
Given the vision that Ten Hag has, Amrabat would be the perfect signing to tidy up the midfield and increase the robustness, and while McTominay has served Old Trafford well, now might be a good time to move onto the next chapter, with the La Viola phenom proving to be a monumental upgrade.