Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Fiorentina and Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat during the January transfer window.
The defensive midfielder, 26, has been a mainstay in Morocco’s inspirational 2022 World Cup campaign, helping the Walid Regragui-managed side knock Spain and Portugal out of the tournament in the Round of 16 and quarter-finals, respectively. By doing so, Morocco went on to become the first African team to reach the semi-finals before being beaten by France 2-0.
According to Foot Mercato reporter Аnas Bakhkhar (h/t Empire of the Kop), Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has met with Sofyan Amrabat’s agent ahead of a potential swoop. The talks were positive and a second meeting has been scheduled a few days after the end of the World Cup, the report adds.
Amrabat has had a stellar World Cup campaign so far and it is not a surprise to see him catch the attention of a host of European clubs, with Tottenham ready to rival Liverpool for his signature. But Fiorentina will want a sizeable fee to let go of the defensive midfielder who they signed in 2020 for a fee of £17m.
Sofyan Amrabat to Liverpool—Should the Reds go for him?
The central midfield area will be Liverpool’s priority if Jurgen Klopp does dip in the January transfer market.
With Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner having entered the final six months of their contracts and should possibly leave at the end of the season, as well as the likes of Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara well into their 30s, Klopp may need more than one midfield option to add to his squad.
The Reds could do well with the addition of Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat. Amrabat has been a consistent performer for Fiorentina in Serie A in the last two years, and he has now shone on the world stage, excelling with his defensive attributes, passing range and reading of the game.
The Morocco international would be a solid option to compete and rotate with Fabinho, who hasn’t been at his best so far this season for Liverpool. Plus, due to the 26-year-old’s technical abilities to play as a box-to-box midfielder, he could challenge the likes of Thiago, Henderson and Harvey Elliot for a place in Klopp’s first XI.
After a mediocre first half of the 2022/23 campaign which exposed Liverpool’s weaknesses in midfield, Klopp must start the overhauling process of his engine room from the winter transfer window. Off the back of his stellar World Cup displays in Qatar, signing Amrabat would seemingly be a step in the right direction for Klopp and the Reds.
