ALLIANZ STADIUM, TORINO, ITALY - 2021/11/06: Sofyan Amrabat of Acf Fiorentina looks on during the Serie A match between Juventus Fc and Acf Fiorentina. Juventus Fc wins 1-0 over Afc Fiorentina. (Photo by Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Before joining Fenerbahçe, Sofyan Amrabat was on the verge of signing with Atlético Madrid. According to Fabrizio Romano, Diego Simeone, Atlético’s head coach, made multiple calls to the Moroccan international in the final days of the transfer window, hoping to convince him to join the Spanish side.
A fierce battle ensued between Fenerbahçe and Atlético Madrid for Amrabat’s signature. Although the Turkish club ultimately won the race, the Spanish giants fought tooth and nail to secure the Atlas Lion for the season. Simeone made repeated efforts, but Fiorentina was unwilling to accept the offer from Atlético, mainly because it lacked a mandatory purchase clause.
In the end, Fenerbahçe secured the deal. Amrabat was swayed by discussions with José Mourinho, who convinced him to don the Istanbul club’s jersey. Amrabat’s admiration for Mourinho dates back to 2021 when the Portuguese coach left a lasting impression with his praise after a match. For Amrabat, playing under « The Special One » was an obvious choice, given their shared winning mentality.
After a less-than-remarkable loan spell at Manchester United, where the club chose not to trigger the purchase option, Amrabat returned to Fiorentina before finalizing his move to Fenerbahçe.
