If this ends up being Sofyan Amrabat’s final game for Manchester United, then what a game it was.
The Moroccan international midfielder was tireless in midfield, stepping up inCasemiro’s absence, and producing an all-action display.
Whenever a City player had possession and tried to break away, Sofyan Amrabat was sprinting to close them down, and made a major impact in midfield alongside Kobbie Mainoo.
Amrabat has kicked on over the past few weeks. He wasn’t great away at Brighton, but he played very well in the matches against Arsenal and Newcastle.
He saved his biggest performance of all for the FA Cup Final, with United fans very impressed with his performance.
Reaction to Amrabat in Italy
Sofyan Amrabat’s performance was praised by Paul Scholes, who compared him to former AC Milan man Gennaro Gattuso.
Over in Italy, where Amrabat remains under contract to Fiorentina, there has been some attention to his late season contribution.
Fiorentina News noted: “Fiorentina player Sofyan Amrabat played all 98 minutes of the match, offering a solid and largely sufficient performance in midfield.”
The outlet noted that Amrabat’s future remains uncertain, adding that he “closed a very dull season with a great high note and will have to find the right context to relaunch himself.”
Labaro Viola wrote: “Sofyan Amrabat, was one of this year’s disappointments for Manchester United, finding little playing time right from the start but in today’s final, and in the end of the season in general, he managed to carve out his space playing the entire match and contributing to the triumph.”
And there was a further tribute to his efforts via Viola News, which wrote how he had overcome a largely difficult campaign, commenting: “The Viola on Loan is experiencing perhaps the best period of the season, after many personal difficulties and those of the Ten Hag team.”
Sofyan Amrabat future uncertain
Sofyan Amrabat was a transfer deadline day signing, and there were expectations he could make a big impact alongside Casemiro.
Instead, it’s been either, or, due to the emergence of Kobbie Mainoo. And it seems Amrabat has the legs which Casemiro doesn’t, which make him a more suitable partner for the teenager.
United paid £8 million for the loan, and there is a clause which gives the team an ‘option to buy’.
It had been considered that United wouldn’t take it up. But there could now be a re-think.
Ineos have a bigger decision first, who will be the manager next season. Player personnel decisions will have to wait.