Sofyan Amrabat joins Ajax on a free transfer after Fenerbahce exit

Ajax have announced the signing of Morocco international Sofyan Amrabat, with the 30-year-old midfielder joining the Dutch club as a free agent after his contract with Fenerbahce came to an end.

The Amsterdam club confirmed the agreement on Sunday, completing a move that brings Amrabat back to the Eredivisie after an eight-year absence. He will wear the number four shirt for Ajax.

Amrabat spent last season on loan from Fenerbahce at Spanish side Real Betis. His spell in Spain followed his time in Turkey, but the end of his Fenerbahce contract allowed Ajax to secure his arrival without paying a transfer fee.

The midfielder has extensive experience of Dutch football. He previously played for Utrecht and Feyenoord before leaving the Netherlands eight years ago. His return now takes him back to the league where he began his senior career.

Amrabat has also established himself as a regular for Morocco. He recently represented the national team at the World Cup and helped the side reach the quarter-finals.

His international career has added to his profile since his emergence in Dutch football, while his return to the Netherlands gives Ajax a player with experience in several European leagues. The club has now confirmed that experience will continue in Amsterdam, with Amrabat taking the number four shirt.

Although he was born in Huizen, Amrabat also holds Dutch citizenship. His return to the Netherlands therefore marks both a move back to familiar domestic surroundings and the next stage of a club career that has taken him from Utrecht and Feyenoord to Fenerbahce and Real Betis.

Ajax’s announcement completes the reported move following the conclusion of his contract with Fenerbahce. The agreement is a free transfer, with Amrabat joining after his season-long loan at Real Betis ended.

The Moroccan international’s previous spell in the Eredivisie came with Utrecht and Feyenoord. After eight years away from the Dutch top flight, he will now continue his career with Ajax, who have confirmed him as their latest signing.

Amrabat’s arrival also links his return to the Netherlands with the international success enjoyed by Morocco at the World Cup. He was part of the squad that reached the quarter-finals, and he now returns to Dutch football as a player with experience of the World Cup, La Liga and Turkish football.

Ajax have not announced any further details beyond confirming the signing, his free-transfer status and his number four shirt. The central fact of the deal is that Amrabat has left Fenerbahce and agreed to join the Amsterdam club after his loan season with Real Betis.