Galatasaray president claims Sofyan Amrabat was close to Manchester United snub

Galatasaray's president has claimed Sofyan Amrabat waited to join his club, only for Manchester United to make a successful late move for the player.

Amrabat was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford throughout the summer window, but a concrete offer for the midfielder was only submitted to Fiorentina just a few days before the transfer deadline.

United eventually agreed on a €10million loan fee for Amrabat, with an option to buy, on a season-long loan move.

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Although Ambarat's agent has since said Amrabat only ever wanted to join United, Galatasaray's president Erden Timur has claimed, in an interview with CNN Turkey, that the midfielder was receptive to moving to his club.

“We largely agreed [a transfer] with Sofyan Amrabat. With Fiorentina, we were at a level where we could reach a point," he said. "Manchester United came on Wednesday evening and as the player has said before, his former manager was also there… He rejected the big teams and waited for us, but it didn’t happen."

Ambarat's agent Mahmoud El Boustati wrote an emotional congratulatory post to his client when his move to United was made official. He said: "My belief in you has never changed and even though these last three months were difficult.

"There were so many obstacles, but you turned down every club that came calling because you had faith that your dream would come true. One club. We made it brother, a promise kept, a dream realised. The Theatre of Dreams awaits."

Ambarat could make his United debut against Brighton on August 16 if fit and available. Amrabat withdrew from the Morocco squad for the ongoing international break due to injury.