Premier League giants Manchester United and ‘bargain transfers’ are two things that do not often go hand in hand.
In the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, the Red Devils have wasted millions upon millions on countless overpriced, underperforming players.
See Jadon Sancho, Donny van de Beek and Alexis Sanchez to name but three. £82 million man Antony made only his second Manchester United start of the season – and his first since Barnsley in the EFL Cup two months earler – as Rasmus Hojlund inspired a 3-2 win over Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night.
Joshua Zirkzee, meanwhile, appears to already be facing a battle as he looks to avoid joining Antony and co on an extensive list of Manchester United ‘flops’.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, though, sits Noussair Mazraoui.
At less than £13 million, have Man United pulled off a finer pound-for-pound acquisition in living memory? Mazraoui was clearly a player with talent – you don’t become a regular at Ajax while joining Bayern Munich without possessing serious ability – but the extent of the Moroccan’s qualities have taken all by surprise.
Manchester United think they landed a bargain in Noussair Mazraoui
Whether at right-back, left-back, centre-back or wing-back, Mazraoui barely puts a foot wrong in Man United colours while turning in consistent, seven or eight-out-of-ten performances sometimes on a twice-weekly basis.
No wonder the Man United bosses are delighted with the impact of a player who arrived at Old Trafford for £60 million less than the Red Devils splashed out on Sancho, for instance.
Mazraoui provided his second Man United assist as he danced his way past an attempted challenge before setting up Hojlund on the stroke of half-time against Bodo/Glimt.
Well, technically his second assist.
Mazraoui would have had three to his name had Bruno Fernandes’ header in the 3-0 win over Leicester City not taken an almighty deflection on it’s way into the net.
Ruben Amorim cannot speak highly enough of Mazraoui either. The former Sporting and Braga coach likes footballers who possess tactical flexibility and technical qualities. No wonder he is a big fan of United’s silk-footed number three.
Ruben Amorim and Rio Ferdinand hail Mazraoui impact
“Wow. He’s an incredible player,” Amorim said after marking his Old Trafford debut with a much-needed win in midweek. He is our future. He always looks fresh, even if we have to be careful with every game.
“He’s the kind of player we need. That kind of player, he’s here to stay.”
“Mazraoui, I like him a lot,” United legend Rio Ferdinand agrees, speaking on his ‘Rio Ferdinand Presents’ podcast. “Really good, on the ball calm, beating people at times, defending… he’s got a bit about him.
“I really like him. What the manager needs is [players who are] coachable, and who actually wantsto be coached. [Players] who want to learn something new.”
Given the way Mazraoui has embraced a number of different roles – he was even deployed as a number ten albeit with rather less success by Erik ten Hag against Fenerbahce – the Dutch-born 27-year-old is a footballer not afraid to add more strings to his bow.
Mazraoui is likely to keep his place in Amorim’s XI when Man United take on Everton this weekend.
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