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Rob Dawson, Correspondent
Manchester United are ready to move for Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat but only if they can raise significant funds through departures, sources have told ESPN.
United have spent more than £100 million ($128.6m) to bring in Mason Mount and André Onana already this summer and manager Erik ten Hag has been assured there is money available to sign a striker — likely to be Atalanta‘s Rasmus Höjlund — before the deadline.
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There remains a chance that, after securing Hojlund, United could target a central midfielder as a fourth summer signing with Amrabat high up on Ten Hag’s wanted list.
But the Dutchman has been told a move for the Morocco international, one of the best players at last year’s World Cup in Qatar, will only be possible if a number of fringe players leave.
Anthony Elanga has already joined Nottingham Forest in a deal which could rise to £20m and Alex Telles has joined Al Nassr for around £4m.
Dean Henderson, Donny van de Beek, Fred and Eric Bailly are also available for transfer and the club will listen to offers for Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay, but only if big bids come in.
United value McTominay in excess of £40m and on Friday turned down a £20m bid from West Ham for Maguire. If McTominay or Maguire leave, it would create room in the budget to step up interest in Amrabat.
Henderson is moving closer to a move to Forest, who are negotiating a year-long loan with an obligation to buy. The two clubs are discussing the fee Forest would have to pay next summer and the number of games he would have to play for the obligation to kick in.
Meanwhile, United remain in talks with Atalanta over a deal to sign Hojlund.
An offer totalling £51m has been submitted and the club are unlikely to go beyond £60m for the 20-year-old.
Eintracht Frankfurt‘s Randal Kolo Muani and Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus are among alternative options if Atalanta are not willing to reach a compromise on their valuation.