In a recent interview (via Caughtoffside), renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano offered an update on Barcelona and their pursuit of Fiorentina talent Sofyan Amrabat. Romano said,
“Premier League is completely quiet for Sofyan Amrabat now, it was one of the possibilities in January.
“Now I’m told the focus is on possible La Liga move – but Barcelona moves depend on the Financial Fair Play so it’s too early to say.”
Amrabat’s Solid Season In Italian Football
Amrabat has caught the eye at times with his performances at the Florence-based club this season and deserves credit for producing a string of impressive performances for them at the centre of the park. The Morocco international has made 35 appearances for the Italian outfit during this campaign, picking up 13 yellow cards across all competitions.
The 26-year-old has anchored the midfield relatively well for Fiorentina by averaging 1.2 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 0.6 clearances per 90 minutes in Serie A. He has even been accurate when distributing the ball from the back after making 88.9% of his attempted passes in the Italian first division (stats via whoscored).
Amrabat is under contract at the Artemio Franchi Stadium is set to run out in the summer of 2024. Thus, it makes sense for Barca to arrange a cut-price move for him at the end of this campaign.
Should Barcelona Boss Xavi Move In For Amrabat?
Amrabat is a good tackler of the ball and can time his challenges well to secure possession back for his team in the middle of the park. He usually puts his foot through the ball to clear the danger when needed and is an accurate passer of the ball as well. Amrabat is primarily a defensive midfielder but can also act as a centre-half if asked to do so. However, the Moroccan sensation often struggles to influence the game in the final third.
We can expect Amrabat to bring more bite and steel to Barcelona boss Xavi’s midfield and increase competition for places within his match-day squad. Still, it remains to be seen whether he can make a smooth transition to life in La Liga.
Still, the pros outweigh the cons of recruiting Amrabat as he is good enough to serve as a quality midfield option in Barca‘s squad. Plus, he could help the Catalan club challenge across all fronts in the coming seasons. Thus, Xavi should think about getting a deal done for him as long as Barcelona can abide by the Financial Fair Play regulations to make it happen.
