Manchester United newcomer Sofyan Amrabat has withdrawn from international duty with Morocco due to injury.
The midfielder has been replaced by Yahya Gibran in Walid Regragui’s squad for Saturday’s home Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Liberia and a Tuesday friendly clash with Burkina Faso in France, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation announced on Thursday night.
Amrabat finally completed a long-awaited summer move from Fiorentina to Manchester United on transfer deadline day last week, agreeing an initial £8.6million season-long loan deal that includes the option for a permanent switch next year that would cost a further £17.1m plus £4.2m in add-ons.
However, the 27-year-old was not in a position to make a quick Premier League debut in United’s dramatic late defeat by Arsenal before the first international break of the season.
It was later reported by The Athletic that United had detected a back injury during Amrabat’s medical in Pisa, though they were content to push ahead with the deal anyway due to the minor nature of the issue.
The player had yet to feature for parent club Fiorentina in the early stages of the 2023/24 campaign as he pushed for a move to Old Trafford, remaining an unused substitute for the 4-1 win at Genoa on opening weekend in Serie A before being omitted from the matchday squad entirely for the subsequent 2-2 draw with Lecce and both legs of the Europa Conference League play-off tie against Rapid Vienna.
United will hope that Amrabat, one of the stars of Morocco’s surprise run to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar last year, is not sidelined for too long as they look to bounce back from a tricky start to the season at home to high-flying Brighton on September 16 before beginning their Champions League group stage campaign away at Bayern Munich four days later.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation said in a statement: "Walid Regragui invited Yahya Gibran, a player for the Wydad Sports Club, to join the national team as it prepares for the two matches it will play against Liberia in Agadir and Burkina Faso in Lens, France.
"The national team coach, Mr. Walid Regragui, summoned the player, Yahya Jeeran, to replace the injured Sofiane Amrabat."
United recently experienced a similar situation with headline summer signing Rasmus Hojlund, who made his Red Devils debut off the bench at Arsenal having initially been sidelined following his high-profile £72m transfer as the result of a minor back problem suffered during pre-season with Atalanta.
Erik ten Hag has been without several players of late due to injury, including another major summer recruit in Mason Mount plus the likes of Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Tom Heaton, Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo.
Lisandro Martinez was taken off early against Arsenal due to a foot issue and did not play for Argentina in their World Cup qualifying win over Ecuador on Thursday. Victor Lindelof was also forced off at the Emirates Stadium through illness, while an ill Scott McTominay missed the game entirely.
