Barcelona target Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat for loan move

Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat is a surprise transfer target for Barcelona as they look to strengthen their roster following the departure of Memphis Depay to Atlético Madrid and the injury suffered by Ousmane Dembélé in Saturday’s victory against Girona. Although it had been expected that Barça would look to recruit a winger - which they could still do - to cover a position they now find themselves light in, Amrabat has become one of their main targets on the last day of the January transfer window, according to Jijantes. On Tuesday, various sources reported that the player failed to show up for training with La Viola as he looks to force through a move.

The 26-year-old Moroccan, who also holds a Dutch passport, was one of the most impressive performers at the Qatar 2022 World Cup although would not generally be the type of midfielder associated with Barça’s style of play and system. Amrabat, whose contract in Florence ends in June 2024, would move to Camp Nou on loan, with the Catalan outfit not having an option to buy.

Why are Barcelona now allowed to sign players in January?

Although LaLiga had suggested last week that Barcelona, who have been drawn to play against Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, wouldn’t be allowed to add any new players to their roster in January, which has made it tough for the club to officially register Ronald Araújo and Gavi as first-team players after they agreed new ‘first-team’ contracts, LaLiga president Javier Tebas revealed on Monday that there was now some room for manoeuvre: “Barcelona now have some salary space to be able to register new players after Gerard Piqué retired and Memphis Depay left. If they want to register new players, that’s up to them”, he said, implying that signing new players now could have harmful consequences in the summer. Tebas has calculated that Barça will head into next season with a deficit of €200 million.

Amrabat is set to be one of the protagonists on the final day of the transfer window at Barcelona now that LaLiga have performed a U-turn and given them the green light to add to their roster, even if they have done so rather reluctantly. 31 January at Camp Nou could be more entertaining than we thought it might be.