Fiorentina are on the verge of reaching an agreement with Sassuolo for midfielder Maxime Lopez as they prepare for the potential departure of Sofyan Amrabat to Manchester United, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Serie A club are in advanced talks to get a replacement for the Morocco international, which could pave the way for the Red Devils to land their man ahead of the 11 pm deadline.
Italian clubs have until 7 pm to close their deals, and they now have to quickly agree a deal for Lopez.
Some other Premier League clubs have attempted to hijack the deal, but Amrabat only wants to join Man United.
Agreeing personal terms would be straightforward, but it is up to the Red Devils to meet the demands of Fiorentina during the final rounds of negotiations.
Man United could look to get a medical done for the Moroccan in Italy before flying him over to England for the remaining documentation.
There are just a few hours left in the transfer window, and the Old Trafford club need to quickly wrap this deal up and comply with the FIFA Transfer Matching System.
The Red Devils will be confident of landing their man, but it appears they have a contingency plan in place as manager Erik ten Hag is desperate to land a new number 6.
They approached AS Monaco yesterday to ask for a loan deal with a non-obligatory clause to buy for France international defensive midfielder Youssouf Fofana.
While the Ligue 1 club turned them down, Man Utd could continue keeping tabs on the situation and return for him should their move for Amrabat fall through.
They have been linked with the Serie A star all summer and whether their decision to leave things this late in the transfer window will pay off remains to be seen.
