Nordin Amrabat training with FC Utrecht as 39-year-old weighs move back to Europe

Nordin Amrabat is considering a contract with FC Utrecht after returning to the club’s training centre, following his departure from Wydad AC in Casablanca.

The 39-year-old Morocco international is currently without a club and joined FC Utrecht’s first-team training this week. However, Amrabat has made clear that he is not in the Netherlands simply to maintain his fitness.

“I’m not here just to train,” he said on Thursday, according to RTV Utrecht. “We’ll see how things develop in the coming weeks. Then we’ll see if we can find a solution. The prospects have to be good. If I train hard every day but don’t play, there’s no point.”

FC Utrecht announced on Tuesday that Amrabat had been given the opportunity to stay in shape with the club and hoped to contribute because of his strong connection with the team.

The club’s statement did not refer to a playing contract, but Amrabat’s comments indicate that he would like the arrangement to lead to one. He is expected to assess the situation over the next few weeks before deciding whether an agreement can be reached.

Amrabat also stressed that regular football would be an important factor in any possible deal. While he is willing to work hard in training, he does not want to remain at the club without a realistic prospect of appearing in matches.

The forward left Wydad AC at the beginning of July, bringing his latest spell in Africa to an end. A return to FC Utrecht would take him back to a club with which he has a longstanding association and would represent a move back to European football.

Amrabat has won 64 caps for Morocco. During a career that has included spells at PSV Eindhoven, Malaga and Galatasaray, among others, he has played in both the Netherlands and abroad.

FC Utrecht confirmed his presence at the training ground through social media, describing the arrangement as an opportunity for him to remain fit while offering his experience and contribution to a club to which he remains attached. The announcement stopped short of suggesting that a deal had been agreed.

Any agreement would also reunite Amrabat with the club where his younger brother, Sofyan Amrabat, was developed. Sofyan came through the FC Utrecht academy and later played for the first team.

For now, Nordin Amrabat remains a free agent. His immediate priority is to continue training with FC Utrecht, but his comments show that he is looking for more than a temporary fitness solution as he considers his next step after leaving Wydad AC.