Fenerbahce star hints Man Utd chief stepped in with Erik ten Hag wanting to sign him
Sofyan Amrabat spent last season on loan at Manchester United but the Red Devils decided against making the move permanent in the summer despite Erik ten Hag's admiration for the player
by Dan Marsh · The MirrorSofyan Amrabat has implied that Manchester United's top brass vetoed a transfer in the summer, despite the fact that Erik ten Hag wanted to retain the midfielder's services.
Amrabat, 28, spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan with United, making 30 appearances in all competitions. The Red Devils negotiated an option to buy the midfielder outright with Fiorentina, however, they decided against triggering it during the summer transfer window.
It was reported at the time that United were still keen on signing Amrabat, although they were unwilling to do so for the price they had previously agreed with the Serie A outfit.
And the player himself has now revealed that Ten Hag DID want to keep him - only to then seemingly imply that Jason Wilcox, the club's technical director, stepped in to block a permanent transfer.
In an interview with The Mail, Amrabat said: "I have a special relationship with Ten Hag since I was a 20-year-old at Utrecht. He wanted to keep me this summer so I wish him the best but not for Thursday. I hope they lose."
When the playmaker was then pressed over why he didn't end up at United for good, he added cryptically: "The only thing that I want to say is that you have to ask Mr Wilcox."
While Amrabat didn't get the permanent move to Old Trafford he was hoping for, he did land a move away from Fiorentina after Fenerbahce, now managed by former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, moved to sign him.
Join the debate! Do you think Man Utd will regret not signing Amrabat? Let us know here.
Amrabat was part of a Manchester United team that struggled last season and it seemed highly likely that Ten Hag would lose his job before he was handed a reprieve by Ineos following a superb triumph over Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
The Dutchman has found himself under pressure again this term, though, after an underwhelming start and Amrabat admits it's been tough to watch from afar.
He added: "They are not in the best moment but I support them. I'm upset when they don't get good results or don't play well but against us, it's different. On Thursday, they can't play well."
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky Sports deal
Sky Sports launches discounted Premier League package
£46 (was £56)
Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £240 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.