'Amrabat impressed me most': Luis Enrique praises Morocco's World Cup star

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 10 Jan 2023 17:39 GMT
• 3 min read

Liverpool could face stiff competition for the signing of Sofyane Amrabat with the Morocco midfielder winning praise from far and wide following his impressive performances in Qatar.

Amrabat was somewhat under the radar ahead of the World Cup, a respected Serie A midfielder with Fiorentina but not one expected to light up the competition in Qatar.

But if Morocco have stunned onlookers with their run to the semi-finals - becoming the first African team ever to get that far - then the Atlas Lions have been underpinned by Amrabat, who anchors their midfield in a 4-3-3.

READ: Who is Sofyan Amrabat? World Cup’s best midfielder wanted by Liverpool and Tottenham

Morocco have only conceded a tournament-best once in Qatar - and that an own-goal against Canada - and they knocked out two of the favourites in Spain and Portugal to set up a meeting with world champions France on Friday.

Vanquished Spain manager Luis Enrique, who has since been sacked, thinks Amrabat has been the best player at the competition.

"The player who's most impressed me in this World Cup is Amrabat," he told his Twitch stream. "He's having a hell of a World Cup. I don't want a repeat of France-Croatia [in the final]. It'd be nice if Morocco wins.

READ: Liverpool's Bellingham alternative if they miss out on Kudus

What next for Amrabat?

Amrabat has been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool following his starring role for Morocco.

The Reds were previously the frontrunners to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund this summer, but Manchester City - armed with his friend and former teammate Erling Haaland - and Real Madrid have since entered the fray.

Amrabat is currently rated at just €6.3 million by Football Transfers' in-house algorithm and although Liverpool will still expect to pay significantly more than that for the Dutch-born 26-year-old, he should still cost a fraction of Bellingham's eventual fee.

Amrabat has averaged two blocks and six progressive passes over the last year, so he would be an asset on both sides of the ball at Anfield.