Manchester United target close to joining Liverpool - Reports

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Who will get the Fiorentina midfielder?
Who will get the Fiorentina midfielder?

Liverpool are reportedly close to signing Manchester United target Sofyan Amrabat. The Reds have made a move to sign the Fiorentina star as they continue their search for a midfielder.

As per a report in Dutch outlet AD Sportwereld, Amrabat is the latest midfielder on Liverpool's radar. They claim the Reds are pushing for a move and are looking to seal the deal this week.

Manchester United have been linked with a move for the Fiorentina midfielder throughout the ongoing transfer window and reportedly have an agreement with the player on personal terms. However, they have not been able to complete the move due to FFP issues, following the signing of Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta.

Fiorentina denied having any agreement for the sale of Amrabat and the club's CEO, Joe Barone, stated last month:

"We have not received any bid or proposal for him at all. He's a Fiorentina player now. If an offer comes, we will consider it."

Liverpool were keen on signing Romeo Lavia from Southampton, but switched their focus to Brighton's Moises Caicedo last week. The Reds ended up missing out on both players, with Chelsea unveiling Caicedo earlier this week, while Lavia reportedly had his medical with the Blues on Wednesday, August 16.

Barcelona and Manchester United tried to sign Liverpool target in January

Sofyan Amrabat's agent, Mohamed Sinouh, revealed in April that Barcelona and Manchester United had registered interest in the midfielder during the January transfer window. However, he stated that neither club could reach an agreement with Fiorentina and would have to wait for the summer window.

Sinouh said (via One Football):

"We received many offers during the January transfer window, including one from Manchester United, but an agreement cannot be reached. Barça? The president of Fiorentina refused to let him out because he represented a safe value after the role he had played in the World Cup. Barca came with a loan offer for Sofyan two or three days before the market closed, but they were unable to include a compulsory purchase option and that was the end of it."

Barcelona were the front runners for the midfielder's signature, but couldn't make a move due to the club's financial crisis. They signed Ilkay Gundogan as a free agent after the German left Manchester City, but Amrabat still dreamt of moving to the Catalan side.

Nordin Amrabat, Sofyan's bother, said:

"Sofyan was very keen to go to Barca and very hopeful that the whole operation could happen because the 'Cules' did offer a good amount for the loan, but Fiorentina did not let him go. I can name three clubs that went for him in the last two or three days of the transfer window. ManUtd wanted a loan with an option to buy and Fiorentina turned it down."

Sky Italia previously reported that Fiorentina are looking for £26 million for the sale of the Liverpool target.

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