Juventus are considering an ambitious raid to sign Noussair Mazraoui before Monday night’s deadline – but Manchester United will only have one response for their Italian counterparts.
Value for money
In a long line of profligate spending at Old Trafford in the past decade, the £17 million deal to secure Mazraoui from Bayern Munich last summer constitutes one of the Red Devils’ best pieces of business.
Having grown up in the famed Ajax academy, Mazraoui is an excellent defender who combines intelligence and technical ability in abundance.
He is capable of playing a variety of different positions as well making him an ideal squad player with the quality of a starter.
The Morocco international is a rare United star who actually appears better suited to Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system as he can effectively play on either side as an outside centre-back or at right wing-back.
An injury has kept Mazraoui on the side lines for the opening three fixtures of the new campaign but he made a late return in the 3-2 win over Burnley yesterday, coming on in the 85th minute to replace Leny Yoro as United pushed for a winner – which Bruno Fernandes duly delivered in injury time from the penalty spot.
Amorim will be delighted to welcome back the 27-year-old defender, who he described as an “incredible player” and the “future” of the team after the Portuguese coach arrived at Old Trafford in November.
But this is why the latest development from Italy will be such an unwelcome one for Amorim.
Interest from Turin
Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reveals Juventus are plotting a move for Mazraoui with sporting director Damien Comolli prioritising the Moroccan over other options.
Old Lady manager Igor Tudor has begun the season with a 3-4-2-1 system – the same Amorim utilises with United – and is keen to add a fullback who can operate effectively in this set-up.
The report states Juventus will try to sign Mazraoui on loan as a potential repalcement for Nico Gonzalez, who is locked in talks over a move to Atletico Madrid.
But this is an offer which will be swiftly and decisively rejected by the Red Devils, who have zero intention of losing a key member of their first-team squad, particularly without a sizeable transfer fee in compensation.
Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
