Liverpool have given up on signing Sofyan Amrabat, after Fiorentina slapped a £35m price-tag on him.
That’s according to Calciomercato, who claim that the Reds were leading the race for Amrabat following his impressive World Cup displays.
However, their interest is now said to have been ‘extinguished’ by Fiorentina’s asking price. £35m is said to be a ‘complicated’ figure to reach for any team in the current market – Chelsea aside.
As a result, Liverpool have reportedly shelved their plan to sign Amrabat.
It’s claimed that the Moroccan is still likely to leave Fiorentina, but a move will now have to wait until the summer.
In the meantime Amrabat is said to be fully focused on finishing the season with his current club.
Another one bites the dust for Liverpool
After so much hype about a move during the World Cup, the trail has gone cold on Amrabat for a little while. At one stage he looked like being the most likely signing for Liverpool during the winter window. That never materialised.
By the sounds of it he’ll be back on the market in the summer. But it would perhaps be a surprise for Liverpool to come back in then.
Instead, it has been reported that Atletico Madrid would be Amrabat’s preferred destination. With the player keen on a move to Spain and the price still relatively high, the Reds should look at other options.
That’s a shame, as Amrabat looked to be a capable No.6 during the World Cup. Joe Cole called him ‘outstanding’ out in Qatar, and that wouldn’t be an exaggeration. As Fabinho’s struggles at Liverpool continue, he could have taken the heat off the Brazlian.
Luckily for Jurgen Klopp, Stefan Bajcetic has emerged as a candidate to do that anyway. When you’ve got a player as good as the young Spaniard coming through, it’s unnecessary to go out and spend £35m.
So, another one bites the dust in Liverpool’s midfield revamp. It will be interesting to see where Amrabat goes from here. Either way, it now looks desperately unlikely to be to Anfield.