Sofyan Amrabat, Manchester United’s latest signing, has been forced to withdraw from Morocco’s team for international duty owing to an injury
Amrabat joined Manchester United from Fiorentina on deadline day, firstly on a season-long loan for £8.6 million with the option of a permanent transfer next year for an additional £17.1 million plus £4.2 million in add-ons.
The injury to the 27-year-old midfielder was apparently discovered during a medical examination in Pisa prior to his transfer to Old Trafford. Despite a minor injury, Amrabat was unable to make his Premier League debut for Manchester United in their late loss to Arsenal just before the international break.
Amrabat had not featured for Fiorentina at the start of the 2023/24 season as he was eager to secure a transfer to Manchester United. He remained an unused substitute in Fiorentina’s opening Serie A match against Genoa and was subsequently omitted from the matchday squad for their following fixtures, including Europa Conference League play-off ties.
Manchester United will be hoping for a swift recovery for Amrabat, who was one of the standout performers for Morocco during their surprising run to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar the previous year. The club is set to face Brighton on September 16 in the Premier League, followed by the start of their Champions League group stage campaign away at Bayern Munich just four days later.
In light of Amrabat’s injury, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation announced that Yahya Gibran, a player for the Wydad Sports Club, has been called up to replace him in the national team for their upcoming matches against Liberia and Burkina Faso.
This injury setback is the latest in a series of challenges for Manchester United, as several players, including summer signings Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount, have been dealing with injuries or illnesses in recent weeks.
