Manchester United have made a habit of hijacking moves since Ineos seized control of the Old Trafford reigns.
AC Milan were far down the line in pursuit of Joshua Zirkzee before the Red Devils came in and planted their pitchfork into the Rossoneri’s hopes.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, appeared to be leading something of a one-horse chase for Leny Yoro before Manchester United beat the European Champions by a nose.
Now, snatching a signing from out of the grasp of West Ham may not provide quite such a gleaming assessment of United’s pulling power – at least compared to the might of Milan and Madrid – but Julen Lopetegui’s loss could certainly be Erik ten Hag’s gain with Noussair Mazraoui.
Like Matthijs de Ligt – his Bayern Munich team-mate – Mazraoui was a member of Ajax’s 2019 Champions League-bothering outfit. The team who caught the eye and captured the imagination under Ten Hag during a stunning run to the competition’s semi-finals.
Ten Hag has made no secret of the fact he would like to work with De Ligt again, having been given Ineos’ blessing to pursue his former Ajax skipper and having previously suggested he can become the world’s finest centre-half.
But with United and Bayern still poles apart in their valuation, Mazraoui might have now overtaken De Ligt as the player closest to swapping the Allianz Arena for Old Trafford.
Manchester United in for Noussair Mazraoui
Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, writing on X, claims that a proposed £16 million deal to take Mazraoui to West Ham is now ‘off’. Like with Milan’s aborted pursuit of Zirkzee, it appears that the Moroccan’s agent made a deal impossible to strike.
In their place, meanwhile, is Man United. The Red Devils have entered ‘advanced talks’, to quote Plettenberg, with discussions seemingly hurtling in the right direction.
It remains to be seen whether United could get their man by putting forward the same £16 million package as West Ham.
There is also the uncertainty surrounding Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s future to consider. Mazraoui’s arrival would almost certainly spell the end of Wan-Bissaka’s United career, though he recently turned down the chance to join – ironically enough – West Ham United.
As The Hammers’ search for a right-back becomes increasingly protracted, The Athletic report that Wan-Bissaka is holding out for Italian champions Inter Milan to firm up their own interest.
Advanced talks with Bayern Munich
Mazraoui may not be as solid a defender as Wan-Bissaka but he is arguably better suited to Ten Hag’s preferred, possession-based approach.
A fine technician, Mazraoui scored 10 goals and set up nine more for Ajax though there are some concerns about whether he could adapt to the physicality of the Premier League.
“It makes a lot of sense (to sell him),” Talking Fussball podcast co-host Stefan Bienkowski argues. “Mazraoui is such an interesting one. It hasn’t really worked out.
“He obviously joined the club in the wake of a very impressive performance for Morocco air the World Cup and I think everyone thought; ‘Wow, Bayern have just signed this outstanding wing-back.
“At times, Mazraoui has looked like that. But I think he’s really kind struggled from not being able to prove he is good at any one thing. He’s had performances where he’s able to kind of fall back on his great technical ability. He is a great pass of the ball. He can set up chances.
“But, as a dependable full-back, I just don’t think he was that for Bayern.
“I would actually be a little concerned for him in the Premier League because I would say, if there is one thing he has probably lacked, its physicality. I don’t think the Premier League will be any easier for him in that regard.”
- READ MORE: Manchester United confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25
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