Fulham challenge Man Utd! Race to sign Sofyan Amrabat heats up as Cottagers make €30m offer for possible Joao Palhinha replacement

• Fulham bid £26m for midfielder
• Bid prompted by Palhinha’s potential exit
• Man Utd still chasing him

WHAT HAPPENED? According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the west London club have lodged a €30 million (£26m/$33m) bid for Amrabat, jumping into the race for his signature hours before the window shuts and changing the dynamic of a transfer saga that has centred for weeks around Manchester United. The Red Devils’ financial limitations restricted them to a loan move for the Fiorentina star; however, Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha’s rumoured move to Bayern Munich hinges on the club being able to find a replacement, and with some money to splash it seems as though Amrabat could be that man.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: There are a number of moving parts here, and a lot of uncertainty surrounding Amrabat’s future both inside Fiorentina and out. According to the club’s president Rocco Commisso: “There are other offers for him but I don’t know what will happen tomorrow either. There are many negotiations underway.”

Fulham’s entry into the race has come as a surprise to some, and it seriously puts the pressure on the Red Devils to get a transfer over the line.

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WHAT NEXT? If Fulham do successfully swoop in on the 27-year-old midfielder, who helped guide Morocco to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar, it will be a major blow to United’s chances of forming a solid, balanced midfield this summer. Ten Hag has faced criticism for the shape of his midfield in the opening three matches of the season, and this Sunday they face their biggest test yet with a trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal.