Manchester United appear to be keen on bringing more than just one midfielder to Old Trafford this summer after agreeing a deal to sign Mason Mount.
Who could Man United sign this summer?
Talk of Mount's move from Chelsea has understandably dominated the early exchanges of the transfer window.
Yet, more work is being done behind the scenes by Erik ten Hag and co, with a move for Sofyan Amrabat also on the table.
That's according to RAI Sport (via Football Italia) who suggest that United are ready to double the player's salary in a bid to tempt him to English football.
That said, they will need to cough up the €30m (£26m) asking price that Fiorentina have placed on his head.
What is Sofyan Amrabat's style of play?
The Moroccan was a star player at the Winter World Cup in Qatar as his nation reached the semi-finals during an extraordinary run.
Eventually named in Football FanCast's Team of the Tournament, as voted for by readers, it was perhaps a surprise that he didn't get a move in the winter when the likes of Barcelona were interested.
Now an attractive proposition for United, a £26m fee would be a bargain for a 26-year-old who possesses some fabulous qualities.
At the end of the season, he took Declan Rice "to school" in the Europa Conference League final, although his team would eventually lose that showpiece 2-1.
Everything good the team did came through Amrabat in that match and it only offered further weight to the claim that he is the epitome of a big game player. He showed as much during the World Cup where his 2.3 tackles per game were more than any other midfielder in the squad
When compared to other players in the same position across Europe's top five leagues, that isn't an area Amrabat usually thrives. Indeed, the Fiorentina star ranks in the worst 33% for that metric, per 90 minutes, via FBref.
So, what does he offer? Well, ranking in the top 5% for pass completion and the top 8% for progressive passes, this is a player who is remarkably composed and possesses wonderful vision.
He is a conductor, think the likes of Andrea Pirlo, who will sit back and dictate the play. He sits in the best 2% for medium pass success and in the top 1% for long pass success.
The Moroccan is rarely involved in the final third, ranking in the worst 34% for shot-creating actions but he does like to maraud past the opposition. As such, he is in the top 12% for progressive carry distance and the best 18% for overall carries.
With that in mind, he could well be the perfect partner for Casemiro in the middle of United's side.
The bullish Brazilian has been a revelation since arriving in English football, ranking inside the top 4% of midfielders across Europe for tackles, blocks, clearances and aerials won.
Unlike Amrabat, he doesn't maraud forward as such, and as such sits inside the best 62% for carries and the worst 29% of midfielders for total carry distance.
What this means is that the two could complement each other perfectly. Casemiro could sit back and break up the play before handing it over to Amrabat whose immense passing range and ability to carry the ball forward would ensure Ten Hag's men are on the counter as soon as they've won back possession.
Hailed as a "monster" by Carlo Garganese, this would be a superb signing, particularly for the price. Just imagine him and Casemiro.
Comments
Post a Comment