Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand, has branded Erik ten Hag’s decision to continue to play Casemiro as centre-back as “unfair”.

The Brazilian had one of the worst games of his career last Monday against Crystal Palace and was once again at the centre of action for the wrong reasons yesterday.

An injury-ravaged United defence has meant that Casemiro has needed to fill in as a centre back and this experiment has failed miserably.

Arsenal’s winning goal came directly from the Brazilian lazily jogging back into his position, and when the ball broke kindly for Arsenal to launch a counter-attack, he was caught far behind his teammates, therefore playing Kai Havertz onside and in oceans of space to pick out Leandro Trossard to score.

Pundits such as Paul Scholes and Roy Keane have already called out Casemiro’s form and the latter has already stated that the veteran is not good enough to play centre-back at Premier League level.

Speaking on his Vibe with FIVE YouTube channel, Ferdinand has echoed his former teammates’ concerns about Casemiro playing at centre-back but blames the manager for putting him in an unfair situation.

“When is he going to take Casemiro out of the backline? Why can’t Amrabat play there or Scott McTominay? Was Scott [McTominay] injured?”

“I just don’t think it’s fair. If you see a few mistakes from somebody who is playing there, who has never played there before, and you see those mistakes early, you should go: ‘Do you know what? I’m not going to do this to you.”

Ten Hag has previously defended Casemiro and actually complimented the job the Brazilian did yesterday, claiming he is a winner and did a very good job on Sunday.

However, Ferdinand sees it differently and claimed, “I don’t care how experienced he is, I’m not going to do this to him. ‘Come on. We’ll move you out of there and get you back to the position you know.”

The Champions League winner then offered his own solution to the United defensive crisis as they wait for any of Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire or Victor Lindelof to return to full fitness.

When asked if Aaron Wan-Bissaka could do a job at centre back he replied, “Yeah, play him there. Then play one of the other guys right-back. Put Amrabat there. You’ve played him left-back, play Amrabat right-back.”

“That’s the most natural thing for me. Aaron Wan-Bissaka centre-back and Amrabat at right-back, because he was happy to play him left-back for a few games. I don’t know. We just look like we’re on repeat here. We look like we are an uncoached team.”

The theory is that Wan-Bissaka is a more natural defender and this would allow Casemiro to shift up and defend areas of the pitch he is more used to.

The problem with this is, Casemiro has also struggled when playing as a number six and he has been unable to keep up with the unforgiving pace of the Premier League.

Moreover, Wan-Bissaka is a great tackler but he regularly struggles to stay in the right position defensively and is famously average in the air. Not a good combination for a centre-back.

The solution of Amrabat playing right-back is also perplexing considering he showed nothing of merit as a left-back and his passing or crossing ability hardly stands out as a strength.

What is clear is that Casemiro cannot play at centre back and it is mind-boggling how Ten Hag thinks the opposite.

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Casemiro who was arguably the signing of the season in the last campaign, has been a shadow of his former self with injuries not helping him.

The Brazilian has looked slow and laborious with Erik ten Hag’s flawed tactics placing too much workload on the 32-year-old who has struggled to track back.

New summer signing Mason Mount has hardly been fit in his debut campaign in Manchester while loan signing Sofyan Amrabat, expected to fill the void in the absence of the ageing former Real Madrid star, has looked well off the pace in the Premier League.

Amrabat’s disappointing United loan spell

The Moroccan has not started a single league game in 2024 and his last start came against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup. Playing as a left-back has not helped his confidence either.

The Huizen-born star has made a total of seven cameo appearances in the new year totaling 45 minutes of action.

He arrived on the back of not having a proper pre-season and a move to reunite with his former FC Utrecht manager has not proven to be the best call with both United and the player said to regret the summer choice.

The defensive midfielder is unlikely to be retained on a permanent basis by the Red Devils and with his parent club Fiorentina also keen to move him on, a race is now on for the 27-year-old.

Juventus, Barcelona, Fulham and surprisingly Liverpool have all been linked with a move for the Morocco international but a move back to Italy makes the most sense.

According to Teamtalk, AC Milan have rejoined the race for the defensive midfielder as they look to add more steel to their midfield reserves.

AC Milan want Amrabat

“TEAMtalk sources have also stated that Milan could consider a move for Sofyan Amrabat, who is set to return to Fiorentina at the end of the season once his disappointing loan spell with Manchester United comes to an end.

“Amrabat has struggled in the Premier League but has proved he can be effective in the Serie A, so a switch to the Rossoneri could be ideal for him.”

There were earlier reports that the Rossoneri had withdrawn from the chase to sign Amrabat but with Arsenal and United both fighting to sign Youssouf Fofana, who is Milan’s top choice, they have had to expand their list.

Amrabat’s skillset is much more suited to the pace of football in Italy and not having to play as a left-back would also be a boon for the player.

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Manchester United’s on-loan midfielder Sofyan Amrabat has decided he does not want to return to parent club Fiorentina after his spell at Old Trafford ends.

In a tumultuous roller-coaster of a season, Amrabat’s England adventure has been a damp squib.

There was much excitement when the Moroccan midfielder arrived to Manchester at the end of the summer transfer window. However, he has made basically no contribution to the team this year and, after Christmas, has barely made an appearance, save the occasional ten minute cameo at the end of a match.

As a result, it has been clear for a long time that neither Amrabat nor United have much interest in continuing together beyond this season.

The Moroccan has been linked to numerous teams in Italy, with the player being keen on a move back to the country where he made his name, including Juventus and AC Milan. However, it was relayed here that the San Siro side would have little appetite to a deal for the Morocco international.

Amrabat has even been linked to shock moves to fellow Premier League sides Liverpool and Fulham, but it feels unlikely he would entertain such offers considering how much he has struggled in the division this season.

Whilst it is clear that the midfielder’s future will not be at Old Trafford, the next destination is foggier.

However, Italian outlet Tutto Mercato report that his future also certainly lies away from Florence. It’s stated that, “Sofyan Amrabat is at the end of his adventure at Manchester United.”

However, “on the player’s side, there is a clear desire not to stay in Florence, something already seen a year ago when the proposal arrived from Manchester United.”

Fiorentina are already said to be unimpressed by the player’s displays at Old Trafford and angered by the drop in his value as a result of his stay in England.

What is clear is that Amrabat, wherever he goes, will need to rebuild his career after making a name for himself in Morocco’s impressive run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals.

We know that this next step won’t be at Manchester United or Fiorentina, however.

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Manchester United’s loanee Sofyan Amrabat is most likely to join Juventus this summer.

The Moroccan midfielder has had a disastrous spell for the club, despite arriving at Old Trafford with such high hopes.

The World Cup hero was heralded as the missing link in United’s midfield, but he has had little to no impact on the Red Devils’ side, in spite of the club suffering horrendous injuries all over the park.

Where no midfielder with the exception of Kobbie Mainoo has covered themselves in glory this season, damningly Amrabat has still not been able to make his mark in the Premier League, often looking too weak and too slow to deal with the rigours of English football.

In fact, he has only made 5 appearances since returning from the AFCON in February with 11 minutes being the longest time he has been on the pitch in any of those appearances.

Logically, United have no interest in activating the buy option in his deal and the 27-year-old midfielder will be sent back to Fiorentina in June.

Nonetheless, the player’s poor form has not stopped a host of clubs being linked to the midfielder including Liverpool, Fulham, Juventus, AC Milan and Napoli.

However, TeamTalk report that it is in fact Juventus who are the favourites for the out-of-favour Moroccan.

“Amrabat himself is eager to secure a transfer as soon as possible, and he has recently changed agents by joining SEG, who already represent Ten Hag. SEG officials are now desperately offering Amrabat around to European clubs to try and get his career back on track”, hence the plethora of links to numerous clubs we have seen over the past few weeks.”

“The player would like to shine in Italy when leaving Man Utd and his entourage have been in contact with both Juventus and AC Milan,” the report reveals.

The player made his name in Serie A and was an integral part in Fiorentina’s 2023 run to the Conference League final, so is likely to be attracted to the familiar terrain of the Italian league.

Interestingly, the report also states that there appears to be a clear favourite in the race for the Moroccan: “It is most likely that Amrabat will end up at Juve, as their sporting director, Cristiano Giuntoli, is a long-term admirer of his.”

The report also suggests that despite Liverpool and Fulham’s interest, the player’s wish is to return to Serie A, further strengthening Juventus’ negotiating position.

What is clear is that Amrabat’s transfer, which promised so much, will go down as one of the most pointless in the club’s history and is simply another example of a wasted signing sanctioned by the previous regime.

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Erik ten Hag’s substitutions allowed Coventry back into the game and from being three goals down in the 70th minute, they equalised within normal time.

The Dutchman pointed to injuries for the embarrassing show with United’s midfield and defensive reserves severely depleted before the game.

Casemiro was forced to play as a centre-back as Willy Kambwala joined four other centre-backs on the sidelines. In midfield, both Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat also got injured during training.

Amrabat’s loan unlikely to be extended

The manager opted to bring off Kobbie Mainoo for the hardly-used Christian Eriksen as the Championship side gained impetus due to the Dane’s lack of pace.

The Moroccan would have been the ideal replacement as he is more of a natural defensive midfielder but so far in his loan spell, the 27-year-old has hardly impressed and has ended up making a number of high-profile errors.

The Fiorentina man last started a Premier League game in 2023 and it is clear to see that he is not the best fit for the English game.

He arrived on the back of not having a proper pre-season while Ten Hag initially was forced to use him as a left-back. That did not help with his confidence either.

#Napoli have also included Sofyan #Amrabat – out of #ManUTD's plans – and Guido #Rodriguez – as a free agent – on the list of midfielders.

Especially in the event of #Lobotka's departure, they could become concrete options. #Transfers pic.twitter.com/y4HPCEqoM5

— Rudy Galetti (@RudyGaletti) April 20, 2024

United are unlikely to sign him permanently and a return to Serie A could be on the cards if journalist Rudy Galetti is to be believed.

Defending Serie A champions Napoli are said to be willing to take a chance with the Morocco international who had played a stellar role for his country in Qatar while also helping Fiorentina reach the Europa Conference League final last season.

Now, Napoli also join the race

“Napoli have also included Sofyan Amrabat, who is out of Manchester United’s plans, and Guido Rodriguez, as a free agent, on the list of midfielders.

“Especially in the event of Lobotka’s departure, they could become concrete options,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Despite such an underwhelming campaign at Old Trafford, even Premier League sides like Fulham and surprisingly, Liverpool are both interested in a deal.

Then there is also Barcelona and Juventus and it will be interesting to see where Amrabat’s future lies after such a disappointing spell which both the player and United regret.

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The Brazilian was instrumental as the Red Devils ended their trophy drought and also qualified for the Champions League via a third-place league finish.

Things have been far more difficult in his sophomore season with the former Real Madrid superstar looking like he has lost more than a yard of pace.

Manager Erik ten Hag’s decision of playing a high-transition style does not suit the five-time Champions League winner, who has been made to work far too hard and he has struggled to track runners every game.

Amrabat has struggled at Old Trafford

Injuries have not helped either and this is exactly why the Dutchman opted to bring in Sofyan Amrabat on loan on deadline day from Fiorentina.

The pair had worked together during their time at FC Utrecht and the Moroccan had been on fire during the last World Cup and fans were excited to see how this partnership would unfold.

However, despite Casemiro’s poor form, the manager has hardly called upon the Morocco international, whose last Premier League start came in 2023.

The 27-year-old arrived on the back of having not had a proper pre-season while he does not look like the best fit for the pace of the English game.

United do have the option of making his loan move permanent but are unlikely to keep hold of Amrabat and a return to Fiorentina seems to be on the cards.

Despite such a lacklustre loan stint, the defensive midfielder is not short of suitors with Barcelona, Juventus among the clubs keeping tabs on him.

Recently, The Peoples Person relayed that fierce rivals Liverpool remain interested while now, Tutto Mercato Web have revealed Fulham also want the Moroccan.

Fulham eyeing Amrabat

The Cottagers are preparing an offer of €30 million which Fiorentina are ready to accept as they do not want the player back at the club.

“Sofyan Amrabat’s future could still lie in the Premier League. Not at Manchester United as the Red Devils have already made the decision not to buy the midfielder from Fiorentina.

“But there is another English club ready to make an offer to the Viola club. According to what was reported by Sportitalia, Fulham have targeted the Moroccan midfielder and are preparing the official €30 million proposal.”

With a bunch of clubs to choose from, the ball is firmly in Amrabat’s court. He will leave Old Trafford with a feeling of unfulfilled potential considering the frenzy his arrival had generated.

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AC Milan have been offered Manchester United’s Sofyan Amrabat but are not currently interested in any deal.

There was much media attention given to Amrabat’s deadline move that took him to Old Trafford last summer.

The Moroccan became an internet sensation with his World Cup performances that saw him inspire his side’s Disneyesque run to the semi-finals.

Naturally, many United fans were excited by what this tenacious, physically imposing midfielder could bring to the team, especially after witnessing the midfield get completely overrun by Wolves on opening day.

However, this really was as good as it got for Amrabat as despite the team suffering a parade of injuries throughout the season, the midfield man has made very little contribution if any to the team.

He has played in 23 matches this season but this doesn’t really tell the whole story.

The Moroccan talisman has barely left the bench in 2024. Since returning from the AFCON in February, he has played a grand total of 35 minutes of Premier League action (source: transfermarkt.com).

In fact, one of his most recent rare cameos from the bench was a disaster class of a performance where he needlessly gifted Erling Haaland a third goal in stoppage time of the Manchester derby last month.

Clearly, the club are not particularly impressed by the Fiorentina signing, so it is no secret that the Red Devils will not be activating the option to buy they included in his deal in August.

This has resulted in numerous clubs being linked to the player such as Barcelona, Juventus and surprisingly arch-rivals Liverpool, who showed interest in him before he completed his move to Manchester.

AC Milan were another side who were credited with an interest in the player in spite of his disappointing spell at Old Trafford.

However, new reports from Calciomercato suggest Milan are not interested.

The Italian site claims, “in recent days, Milan have been offered two midfielders leaving the Premier League for different reasons. They are Sofyan Amrabat, at Manchester United on loan but returning to Fiorentina, and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg of Tottenham”.

However, “at the moment the Rossoneri do not seem warm to either of these two possibilities due to age and economic reasons”.

There is no doubt that Fiorentina will have suitors for the Moroccan international due to his history and showings for his national side, but it is hard to imagine a top level team will have any interest in him.

This is largely due to his inability to make an impression in an incredibly weak United midfield where only Kobbie Mainoo and Scott McTominay can say they have had successful seasons. Even the Scot’s success has been as an impactful goal scorer rather than for his exploits in the middle of the park.

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