AFCON qualifiers: Man Utd new signing Amrabat withdraws from Morocco squad

Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat has withdrawn from his international squad after Manchester United picked up an issue during his medical.

The 27-year-old joined United on deadline day, initially on loan with an option to buy next summer, after a drawn-out transfer pursuit.

The deal was only completed on the final day of the window due to stalling negotiations between United and Amrabat’s parent club, Fiorentina.

Erik ten Hag’s side offered a loan fee of €2 million, as per The Athletic, with just €1 million of that sum guaranteed due to a January break clause being proposed by United.

Fiorentina turned that deal down, as they valued Amrabat higher and his contract expires next summer, which would have risked them losing the midfielder for free.

The two parties eventually agreed on an £8 million loan fee, with United having an obligation to buy the Morocco international for £21 million next summer.

But according to The Athletic, United picked up a minor back injury during Amrabat’s medical. While the issue is not believed to be serious, and the signing was completed, the 27-year-old has now pulled out of international duty.

Amrabat has been forced to withdraw from the Morocco squad due to the back problem.

He had initially been called up for upcoming fixtures against Liberia and Burkina Faso, but will play no part in either match and has been replaced by another player.

The country’s national football federation, the FMRF, confirmed the news in a statement on their website, writing: “The national team coach, Wahid Regragui, summoned the player Yahya Jabrane, to replace the injured Sofyan Amrabat.”

According to reports, however, the back injury that Amrabat suffered is still not considered to be serious, with Regragui making the decision to allow the midfielder to fully recover.

However, it is the latest in a series of injury setbacks for United boss Ten Hag, with new signing Rasmus Hojlund having only recently recovered from a back injury spotted when he joined the club in August.

Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are all currently injured.