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Noussair Mazraoui: What would Bayern Munich star bring to Erik ten Hag’s Man Utd?
Manchester United are not known for their shrewdness in the transfer market, but their latest potential acquisition shows that under Ineos things could be different.
Noussair Mazraoui was brought to Bayern Munich on a free transfer from Ajax by their former director of sport, Hasan Salihamidzic.
There was great anticipation about a player who had shone in the Eredivisie, but things didn’t go to plan - which is why Bayern are now looking to make a sale somewhere below market value this window.
There’s no pretending there aren’t a hatful of better full-backs in the world right now, but there is a real possibility that Mazraoui and United could be a match made in heaven, especially if they can keep him fit.
Club also closing in on Bayern RB Mazraoui. De Ligt, his team-mate, remains an option, but as reported throughout this year, the main target for defence is Branthwaite. #mufc must raise funds through sales to reach a fee with Everton, who are maintaining their asking price.
— Jacque Talbot (@jac_talbot) July 29, 2024
The 26-year-old is a gifted footballer and there’s no doubt we would see glimpses of that in the Premier League next season. But his injury record has impeded him from truly growing.
Over the course of two seasons at Bayern, Mazraoui has made 55 appearances. From this, he has contributed a single goal as well as eight assists across all competitions.
His time at Ajax was similarly challenging. During his five years in Amsterdam, he managed to complete only 30 full 90-minute matches in just two of those seasons.
His struggles with injuries continued at Bayern, where he has failed to reach 2,000 minutes of play across two seasons at the Allianz Arena.
Noussair Mazraoui Transfer Value – how much is he worth?
Mazraoui currently has an Expected Transfer Value of (ETV) of €21m, down €10m from when Bayern bought him.
Our data ranks him as the second best Moroccan player in the game, behind Paris Saint-Germain fullback Achraf Hakimi.
Mazraoui stats – what do the numbers say?
Mazraoui began his football career with his local club AVV Alphen aged 4. French football legend Zinedine Zidane was thought to be his inspiration, and Mazraoui attempted to mould himself on the former Real Madrid midfielder to a degree.
It worked, and after a year with Alphense Boys he was recruited to Ajax’s youth academy.
Mazraoui was eventually playing under Man Utd’s current head coach Erik ten Hag, who is now looking to rekindle that relationship.
Mazraoui is exactly the kind of player who is capable of filling in almost everywhere - which is something of a blessing for Man Utd, who endured a horrendous injury record last season.
He’s a very technical player who has no problem playing wide, inverted or contributing to the build-up phase when needed.
Though he can tackle and carry, Mazraoui has great passing intelligence and composure on the ball too, which is why he has been fielded in the centre of the pitch on occasion.
Mazraoui's stats show the depth of his versatility - he averages 2.64 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes as well as 6.93 progressive passes. Defensively, he makes tackles at rates of 2.41 and interceptions at 1.50 respectively.
Speaking broadly in a statistical sense, Man Utd will be upgrading 1v1 maestro Aaron Wan-Bissaka to a player who is capable of pushing into the final third to forge opportunities as well as the ability to fill in as a defensive midfielder and on the opposite side as a left-back.
But as well as his injury record, Mazraoui and Ten Hag’s relationship must work for this move to succeed.
In his first season season with Bayern, the Moroccan took aim at head coach Julian Nagelsmann, voicing his frustration publicly about not playing in a manner similar to Jadon Sancho.
“I feel forgotten. The situation is disappointing. I’m no longer the second option in my position - but 3rd or 4th,” the player told Bild.
“If the situation stays like this, that’s not what I want. And not what I deserve. I’ll fight - then we will see.”
Acquiring Mazraoui for around €20 million could prove to be a shrewd piece of business. However, fitness issues remain a concern.
If United can address these, they might unlock the player his natural talent suggests.
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