Vincenzo Italiano admits that Sofyan Amrabat is ‘appreciated’ by many clubs but hopes the Morocco international will continue for Fiorentina from where he left off at the World Cup.
The Viola midfielder was amongst the key players of the Morocco side who made it to the World Cup semifinal and Italiano believes he’s reaping the fruits of the work he’s been doing at the Artemio Franchi.
“My greatest satisfaction was to watch Amrabat doing those things in a position he thought he couldn’t play”, Italiano said in a press conference ahead of their first Serie A match in 2023 against Monza.
“He was reluctant to play there, but he can make a difference.
“He’s fantastic at winning the ball back, but he also knows how to play with the ball, he can even improve as a playmaker.
“Since when I’m here, he has been working on these aspects and it’s paying off now”.
Amrabat’s World Cup displays have attracted interest from European clubs, with Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp reportedly being amongst the player’s admirers. However, Italiano believes Fiorentina can benefit from his growth and said he hasn’t asked to be ‘reassured’ over a potential departure.
“I’m happy to see that one of our players is appreciated, I saw his quality at the World Cup and it makes us hope he can do the same for us”, the coach said.
“He’s back and I think he’s motivated after reaching a historical achievement”.
Amrabat’s presence in Fiorentina’s starting XI remains to be decided though, as Italiano only wants to rely on players in perfect shape against a ‘very difficult’ side to take on.
“He has only done a few training sessions with the team”, Italiano added.
“He’s in good shape but let’s see what I’ll decide tomorrow. Honestly, I’d like him to be 100% under every aspect, as we’ll have a very busy schedule.
“Monza are a very difficult side to face, they play one-on-one based football which makes things tough for everyone.
“They’re a dangerous team, especially because their coach has got in their heads, they believe in what they do”.
Yeah he is a good player