Sofyan Amrabat has played down talk of him leaving Fiorentina for a Premier League club, such as Liverpool, in the January window.
The 26-year-old midfielder has been linked the Reds after a string of impressive displays at the World Cup in Qatar. He helped Morocco become the first African team in history to reach the semi-finals after wins against Canada, Belgium, Spain and Portugal.
Liverpool are on the hunt for a new central midfielder and it's believed Amrabat is viewed as a potential signing in January, yet the player is focused on helping Fiorentina achieve success this season. His agent Alberto Maria has also quashed transfer rumours.
"It is a great honour to be associated with these kinds of clubs," Amrabat told Marca. "Right now I'm playing for Fiorentina. I have a lot of respect for my club, it's a great team.
"I have a great coach [Vincenzo Italiano] and a wonderful relationship with the owner Rocco Commisso, who brought me to Fiorentina, and also with Joe Barone [general manager] and Daniele Prade [sporting director]. I have a lot of respect for them and for the club."
Amrabat joined Fiorentina in the summer of 2020 after spells with Utrecht, Feyenoord, Club Brugge and Hellas Verona. He's played regularly for the Italian giants since the transfer - making 78 appearances in all competitions - and has 18 months left on his contract.
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Fiorentina have much to play for this season. They will face Sampdoria in the last 16 of the Coppa Italia in January and Braga in the play-off round of the Europa Conference League in February. In terms of Serie A, they're 10th in the table with five wins to their name.
Amrabat's agent Maria insists his client wants to show Fiorentina loyalty after they decided against signing Lucas Torreira on a permanent basis. The former Arsenal midfielder, also 26, spent last season on loan at Fiorentina and was often preferred to Amrabat.
"Fiorentina are enjoying his qualities now, given that last year [his position] was a bit covered by Lucas Torreira," Maria told Radio Sportiva, as quoted by GOAL. "We have received many phone calls for him, but we respect the choices Fiorentina are making.
"They decided to bet on him and not to redeem Torreira, even if they could have played together. The calls are nice, but we have an excellent relationship with Fiorentina, in addition to the long contract that binds him to the Viola. Despite playing in a lower European competition, they are a very respectable club."
Amrabat would be eligible to play for Liverpool in their Champions League clash against Real Madrid if he was to move to Merseyside in January. The Reds take on the reigning European champions in the last 16 - just eight months after losing to them in the final.
Liverpool have been linked with several central midfielders during the World Cup, including Argentina's Enzo Fernandez and England's Jude Bellingham. It's believed the latter star, who currently plays for Borussia Dortmund, is Jurgen Klopp's preferred target.
