Manchester United
Premier League • England
Ten Hag ‘charmed’ by Serie A star who can achieve dream with Man Utd move, as insider details ‘good relationship’ with boss
The brother of a top Serie A star has suggested Erik ten Hag would like to reunite with him at Manchester United, setting up a potential transfer battle between the Old Trafford club and Barcelona.
Ten Hag will be busy working with the Man Utd hierarchy to decide which players the club should sign ahead of next season to help them get involved in the Premier League title race. The positions Man Utd will try to strengthen this summer are centre-forward, central midfield, centre-back, right-back and goalkeeper.
It is likely Man Utd will prioritise the signing of a new world-class striker who can take their attack to the next level. They are interested in Tottenham’s Harry Kane, although he is now picking up interest from Real Madrid. With Victor Osimhen proving to be too expensive, Man Utd could turn their attention to Atalanta hitman Rasmus Hojlund.
Once Man Utd’s new forward is captured, they will focus on landing a midfielder. Man Utd have learned that Mason Mount is keen to join them from Chelsea. Currently there is some distance between what Man Utd are willing to pay and what Chelsea are happy to accept, although the two clubs will probably reach a compromise.
And Mount may not be the only midfielder Man Utd bring in during the upcoming transfer window, with Sofyan Amrabat of Fiorentina also on their radar.
Amrabat will currently be heartbroken after Fiorentina lost in the Europa Conference League final to West Ham on Wednesday night. That may be his last game for the club as he wants to join a bigger team ready for the 2023-24 campaign.
Barca have been heavily linked, but Man Utd are also in the frame. And Amrabat’s brother Nordin, who plays for AEK Athens, has attempted to heighten the rumours involving Man Utd.
During a recent interview, Nordin Amrabat revealed his brother ‘only wants to go to the top’ with his next move. He added that the Serie A enforcer has a ‘good relationship’ with Ten Hag following their time working together at FC Utrecht, and that the boss is ‘charmed’ by him.
Fiorentina man ‘wants to go to the top’
“He is doing well at Fiorentina. You are not going to trade Italy for the middle bracket of the Premier League,” Nordin Amrabat said (via Dutch source Soccer News).
“My brother is 26 years old; he wants to go to the top. Of course, you never know, it (Saudi Arabia) will be a strong competition when you see which names are going. But my brother now has the intention to play in the top, preferably in Spain or England, I think.
“I think in January (Man Utd showed interest). But Ten Hag is now looking for a striker, he wants that first. From there he will see what is possible.
“But I know that Ten Hag is charmed by my brother, he broke through under him. And they have a good relationship, so who knows.”
Fiorentina will likely have to sell Amrabat this summer as his contract expires next year. If they refrain from doing so, then they risk losing him on a free transfer in summer 2024.
Barca are always a big threat in transfer pursuits such as this one, as shown by Jules Kounde and Raphinha rejecting moves to Chelsea in favour of the Catalan giants. But Barca are not in the best financial position and this should help Man Utd outbid Xavi’s side for Amrabat.