Sofyan Amrabat completes Ajax move after ending Fenerbahce contract

Ajax have signed Sofyan Amrabat on a contract running until the summer of 2028, bringing the club’s long search for a new defensive midfielder to an end.

The Morocco international was officially unveiled at the Johan Cruijff ArenA after reaching an agreement with Fenerbahce to terminate his contract on Saturday. Amrabat subsequently joined Ajax as a free agent.

News of the agreement first emerged on Saturday evening, when it was reported that Ajax had reached a verbal deal with the midfielder. About 12 hours later, Amrabat had already been presented in Amsterdam as the club’s latest signing.

Ajax had been looking for a specialist number six for some time and had considered several possible candidates. Technical director Jordi Cruijff eventually secured the arrival of Amrabat, whose experience at domestic and international level made him the profile the club had been seeking.

“We are delighted to have been able to sign Sofyan,” Cruijff told the club’s media channels. “He is physically strong, possesses great footballing talent and has extensive international experience. In addition, he knows the Dutch league well, so we are convinced that he will adapt quickly. With him, we have exactly the profile we were looking for.”

Amrabat has already played in the Eredivisie for FC Utrecht and Feyenoord, giving him previous experience of the competition in which Ajax play. His career has also taken him abroad, including spells with Club Bruges, Fiorentina and Fenerbahce.

The midfielder spent one season on loan at Manchester United after Fiorentina temporarily moved him to the Premier League club. He has now returned to the Netherlands, where Ajax believe his physical strength, defensive qualities and familiarity with Dutch football will allow him to settle quickly.

His move follows the termination of his Fenerbahce contract and means Ajax have filled a position they had been attempting to strengthen for an extended period. The club’s announcement confirmed that Amrabat’s agreement in Amsterdam will keep him at the Johan Cruijff ArenA until 2028.

Ajax’s pursuit of a defensive midfielder had involved a number of names before Cruijff finalised a deal for Amrabat. The timing of the transfer was swift: an initial verbal agreement was reported on Saturday night, followed by his presentation in Amsterdam roughly half a day later.

For Amrabat, the move represents a return to the country where he established himself in the professional game with FC Utrecht and Feyenoord. For Ajax, it provides the experienced number six the club had identified as a priority and completes a transfer that had been under discussion for some time.