Manchester United are finalizing a deal to sign defender Noussair Mazraoui, a transfer that will see the Moroccan international join manager Erik ten Hag.
Dutch-born Mazraoui spent 16 years at Ajax in total, making 137 first-team appearances under Ten Hag – including 48 during the Amsterdam side's incredible 2018/19 campaign in which they failed to reach the Champions League final . .
To make way for Mazraoui, United released Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The move depends on what happens and the former Crystal Palace man will restart in London at West Ham United.
Mazraoui is a right back by trade and will compete primarily with Diogo Dalot. But both players are so versatile that they can operate on the left, which has proven to be a weak spot.
As versatile a player as he was – he played almost everywhere in his days like in Ajax's youth teams – Mazraoui has worn more than his fair share of different shirt numbers over the past decade.
At first team level it was very calm. The defender made a big splash for Ajax in the 2017/18 season 40 on his back. The next campaign, he traded it 12 and he kept that shirt for the rest of his time at the club.
But when he switched to Bayern Munich in 2022, Mazraoui sought familiarity and chose 40 again, although many lower numbers – including 12 – were available.
At international level with Morocco, Mazraoui was almost exclusively used 3.
Neither 40, nor 12, is readily available at Old Trafford. Tyrell Malacia currently has the latter, while the 40 shirt is held by young goalkeeper Radek Vitek, who performed well in a friendly match last month. However, it could be available as the Czech stopper is reportedly set to go on loan, having spent the first half of 2024 with Accrington Stanley. Nothing has been made official yet.
If Vitek's shirt doesn't come off, Mazraoui can look to another familiar number, 3found after last worn by Eric Bailly. Number 4 The shirt is also available but is the most likely option for Matthijs de Ligt as he prepares to move from Munich to Manchester.
The other would be 34. Mazraoui is a few months younger than former Ajax academy player Abdelhak Nouri, who suffered permanent brain damage after collapsing on the pitch during a friendly in 2017. Many of his contemporaries wore the 34 shirt, Nouri's shirt, at different clubs as a tribute – including Donny. van de Beek at United, until he left Girona.
Other empty United numbers are 13, 19, 27, 30, 31, 33, 38 again 42.
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