United stunned City in last season’s FA Cup final (Picture: Getty)
Sofyan Amrabat claims Erik ten Hag was desperate to keep him at Manchester United last summer, but suggests the manager was overruled by technical director Jason Wilcox.
The Morocco international joined United on loan from Fiorentina in September 2023 but was limited to just 10 starting appearances in the Premier League.
While he struggled early on, Amrabat put in a string of impressive displays at the end of the 2022-13 campaign, culminating in an outstanding performance against Manchester City in the FA Cup final – with club legend Paul Scholes comparing him to AC Milan and Italy great Gennaro Gattuso.
Amrabat’s loan deal had the option to make the move permanent for a fee of £21million but United declined, with the 28-year-old instead joining Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce, who host United in the Europa League tonight.
United instead signed Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain for £50m, with the Uruguay international managing just two minutes of football in the three games since his disastrous afternoon against Tottenham in September.
Amrabat would have had another chance making that role his own had Ten Hag got his way but the Moroccan suggested it was Wilcox who made the final call.
‘I have a special relationship with Ten Hag since I was a 20-year-old at Utrecht,’ Amrabat told the Mail.
Amrabat’s loan spell at United ended in the summer (Picture: Getty)
‘He wanted to keep me this summer so I wish him the best but not for Thursday. I hope they lose.’
Asked to further discuss the circumstances behind his United exit, Amrabat added: ‘The only thing that I want to say is that you have to ask Mr Wilcox.’
Jason Wilcox joined United technical director (Picture: Getty)
United confirmed the appointment of Wilcox in April. He was joined by new chief executive Omar Berrada and new sporting director Dan Ashworth with the trio overseeing United’s transfer business which has so far failed to impress.
The club spent over £200million bringing Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Ugarte to Old Trafford with United already 10 points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool after eight games.
United have drawn their opening two games of the Europa League this season ahead of tonight’s clash against Fenerbahce. In addition to Amarabat and Mourinho, there will also be a reunion with Brazilian midfielder Fred, who make the move to Turkey last year.
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