Fiorentina turn down Barcelona’s loan offer for Sofyan Amrabat

Barcelona have had a loan offer for midfielder Sofyan Amrabat turned down by Fiorentina, reports Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

The Catalans made a surprise offer for the Moroccan midfielder on the deadline day, submitting a loan proposal worth around €4 million with a non-mandatory buy option of €37m next summer.

However, La Viola have rejected the offer straight away, deeming it insufficient.

Romano also adds that the Moroccan international skipped today’s training session to force a move, much to Fiorentina’s anger.

The Catalan giants’ interest in Amrabat could be attributed to their search for a long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets.

The Spanish midfielder is out of contract next summer and has been heavily tipped to leave his boyhood club.

Barca have been restricted from making new signings in the winter transfer window to comply with La Liga’s Financial Fair Play regulations.

It has prompted them to explore loan deals for all their targets, including Amrabat.

Amrabat has grown in stature following an extraordinary World Cup campaign in Qatar, where he helped the Atlas Lions reach the semi-finals for the first time in their history.

The 26-year-old has also courted interest from Atletico Madrid, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, Barca are the front-runners after making an offer. It remains to be seen whether they will submit an improved bid, with little less than a day left in the transfer window.

Barca are also scouring the market for low-cost alternatives for Ousmane Dembele, who recently sustained an injury.

Hector Bellerin has also been linked with a move away from Camp Nou, with Sporting Lisbon keen on his signature due to the imminent departure of Pedro Porro to Tottenham Hotspur.