“He wanted to keep me…” Sofyan Amrabat lifts lid on blame for Manchester United departure

Sofyan Amrabat has revealed who is to blame for his Manchester United departure as he faces his former club in the Europa League.

On the final day of the 2023 transfer window, Manchester United completed the loan signing of Moroccan midfielder Sofyan Amrabat from Fiorentina, paying an initial £8.5 million loan fee with an option to buy for £20 million. At the time, most expected United would eventually make the move permanent.

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However, Amrabat failed to impress at Old Trafford. A combination of injuries and inconsistent form limited him to 30 appearances in all competitions, starting only 17 games and seeing him play fewer minutes than Jonny Evans throughout the season.

By March 2024, most fans were convinced the buy option wouldn’t be triggered. But Amrabat’s performances picked up toward the season’s end, especially in the FA Cup final, leading some to rethink whether he could still offer value to the squad.

However, the deadline for United to activate their £20 million buy option passed, and just before the end of the window, Amrabat sealed a last-minute loan move to Fenerbahce, who United are set to play in the Europa League on Thursday evening.

Wilcox is to blame

Amrabat has now opened up on his departure from United, three months on from when the club chose not to retain his services on a permanent basis.

Speaking to the Mail, Amrabar disclosed that Ten Hag wanted to keep him, but it was in fact new technical director Jason Wilcox who ultimately decided the Moroccan international was not worth the fee.

“I have a special relationship with Ten Hag since I was a 20-year-old at Utrecht,” Amrabat explained in the interview.

“He wanted to keep me this summer, so I wish him the best, but not for Thursday. I hope they lose,” he then added.

When asked whether he was willing to share anything about his departure, he simply said, “The only thing that I want to say is that you have to ask Mr Wilcox.”

A triple reunion

The United against Fenerbahce tie represents a triple reunion. First, there is the case of Amrabat, but also that of Brazilian midfielder Fred, who left United in 2023 for the same Turkish outfit.

There is also Jose Mourinho, the former United manager, who was at the club between 2016-18. The Portuguese boss recently explained that, despite the messy ending that led to his departure, he still wishes his former side all the best.

“I wish the best to Manchester United since the moment I left,” Mourihno told the press on Wednesday afternoon.

“I left with a good feeling to the club, to the fans. I want the best for them. If things are not going amazingly well for them, it is not something that makes me happy. I have no time, and doesn’t make sense for me to think about what happened or didn’t.”

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