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Manchester United formally introduced a double deal yesterday which noticed Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt reunite with former supervisor Erik ten Hag at Previous Trafford.
Most followers will likely be far more conversant in De Ligt than they are going to be with United’s new full again, however maybe he will likely be simply as crucial to lastly reaching the fashion of play Ten Hag is eager to implement at Previous Trafford.
The Moroccan got here by means of the assorted Ajax youth groups and made his debut within the 2017-2018 season with the senior workforce beneath Ten Hag’s administration.
The marauding fullback performed 137 instances for the Dutch giants over the course of 5 seasons and received an array of home trophies.
Apparently he additionally left for Bayern Munich the identical yr De Ligt joined the Bavarian membership, despite the fact that the Dutchman was purchased from Juventus, having left Ajax just a few years earlier.
Mazraoui has additionally carved out an necessary function for himself within the Moroccan nationwide workforce and was a part of the group that made it to the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
In response to Sky Sports, United view him as “a younger, versatile and dynamic full-back – robust defensively and going ahead on the left or proper.”
Mazraoui has additionally been labelled a “participant nonetheless with world-class potential and a [penchant] for high-velocity, daring soccer”.
Mazraoui has the potential to make “a defence extra holistic in its method to buildup play, and thus units the tone for everybody else within the aspect”, crucially getting used to the most effective of his capability by no apart from Ten Hag whereas they had been in Amsterdam collectively.
Clearly the Moroccan charges the United supervisor as on the announcement of his switch he claimed, “Erik ten Hag performed an necessary half in my improvement as a participant … It’s thrilling to be reuniting with him as I enter the prime years of my profession.”
So the principle query United followers will likely be contemplating is what can he add to Ten Hag’s aspect?
The positives are fairly clear as he couldn’t be a extra reverse full again than Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has simply departed for West Ham United.
Whereas the Englishman specialised in tackling, Mazraoui is far more about contributing to the construct up play.
“He thrives in tight areas as a result of beating a person 1v1 is his specialty, be it by dribbling previous him, performing a fast link-up or only a easy ahead cross. He can do all of it and that’s his bread and butter, rating in 98th percentile for passes beneath strain per 90 (9.32) in comparison with different full-backs in 2022.”
He additionally possesses “excessive sport IQ mixed along with his motion and attacking presence” which permits him to occupy superior positions, and in consequence, “registered 0.32 targets and assists per 90 within the Eredivisie and the Champions League in 2021/22, an distinctive tally for a fullback.”
One main downside United have had for years is that when there have been accidents, the replacements have had a really totally different skillset and therefore the workforce has needed to change its fashion of play.
First selection fullbacks Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw are each snug in assault however the Moroccan takes this facet to a different degree.
Furthermore, he can substitute both as a consequence of his versatility and the supervisor won’t must drastically change his setup like Wan-Bissaka would power him to do.
One other plus level of Mazraoui is his huge sport expertise. As soon as once more, like De Ligt, he has performed for big golf equipment like Ajax and Bayern Munich the place this can be a fixed strain to win.
As well as, as talked about beforehand, he has performed in a World Cup semi-final for Morocco and been an integral half in his nation’s current success.
After all, he does come along with his drawbacks nonetheless. The largest concern is one thing that The Peoples Individual has already highlighted and that’s his scary injury history.
The fullback has had quite a few spells in his profession the place he has needed to miss over a month of motion and this isn’t excellent news as United have military of damage inclined full backs when you think about Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.
The Crimson Devils will hope that him taking part in as a rotation choice will see him play much less and have extra time to recuperate to keep away from these muscle accidents and niggles which have plagued his profession.
Nonetheless, at €20 million he isn’t an enormous gamble. If he is ready to contribute in a Ten Hag system the best way he has previously, even when he picks up the odd damage, the switch will likely be price it.
Mixed with Andre Onana, Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez, United now have a backline steeped within the Ajax custom and at last followers can stay up for a aspect that’s extremely competent at taking part in out from the again.
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