"I told him to stay focused" - Club CEO urges Manchester United target to focus as Red Devils are yet to launch bid
ACF Fiorentina chief executive officer Giuseppe Barone has ordered La Viola midfielder Sofyan Amrabat to remain focused amidst interest from Manchester United.
The Red Devils have been hard at work on strengthening their squad this summer, having signed Mason Mount from Chelsea for £60 million. The club also announced the acquisition of Andre Onana from Inter Milan for a deal worth £47.2 million.
Manchester United are expected to make further additions to their ranks, with Amrabat, 26, said to be a top target. However, Erik ten Hag's side pursuing a deal for the Morocco international depends on outgoings. It's worth noting that the English giants are looking to offload Fred and Donny van de Beek.
Meanwhile, Fiorentina's CEO Barone has rubbished talks that the Serie A club have received offers for Amrabat. He also stressed the need for the defensive midfielder to focus on La Viola amidst all the noise.
"We have not received any proposal for Sofyan (Amrabat)," Barone said (h/t Fabrizio Romano). "I told him to stay focused on our club."
Amrabat did not feature in Fiorentina's 1-1 draw against Parma in a pre-season friendly on Thursday (July 20). It remains to be seen if the Serie A club will play in their upcoming exhibition matches amidst uncertainty about his future.
Manchester United face competition from Liverpool for Sofyan Amrabat
Manchester United are reportedly working with a £100 million budget this summer and want to sign a striker before turning their attention elsewhere. It is worth noting that they are working on a deal to acquire £86 million-rated Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta. The Red Devils need to raise funds through player sales to make a move for Sofyan Amrabat.
United, though, need to act quickly as Amrabat is continuing to attract interest from elsewhere. Liverpool have notably been credited with an interest in the Moroccan midfielder. As per The Athletic, the Reds are considering a move for the Fiorentina star, with Fabinho and Jordan Henderson set to move to Saudi Arabia for a combined £52 million.
However, Amrabat is one of several defensive midfielders under consideration at Anfield. Liverpool also have Southampton's Romeo Lavia, SL Benfica's Florentino Luis and Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips among others on their shortlist. They have been linked with Cheick Doucoure, who Crystal Palace value at £70 million.
Amrabat has been on Fiorentina's books since joining them from Hellas Verona for around £17 million in January 2020. He has made 107 appearances across competitions for the Florence-based club, contributing towards two goals.