Real Madrid could reportedly battle arch-rivals Barcelona in the race to sign Noussair Mazraoui on a Bosman move in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Noussair Mazraoui is the subject of interest from Real Madrid over a possible Bosman move in the summer transfer window. The Ajax defender is also a target for Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund and will leave the Dutch giants as a free agent ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Noussair Mazraoui has established himself as one of the best players in Eredivisie since making his first-team bow for Ajax a few years ago. And he has taken his game up several notches following Sergino Dest’s move to Barcelona in September 2020.
Now a key figure for club and country, the Moroccan international is enjoying a solid 2021/22 campaign, raking in five goals and three assists in 25 appearances across all competitions. But the ongoing term will likely be Mazraoui’s final season with Ajax as he recently expressed his desire to embark on a new adventure. Such a situation has captured the attention of Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The interest from Barcelona stems from Sergino Dest’s inability to impress Xavi Hernandez in the last few months. The USMNT international has thus been placed on the transfer list, with Barcelona likely to offload him in the summer transfer window. While the Blaugrana recently re-signed Dani Alves, the Brazilian will only be a short-term solution.
Barcelona will thus need to enter the market for a right-back in the summer transfer window, with Mazraoui reportedly keen on joining them. But Barcelona will need to fend off stiff competition from Real Madrid in the race to sign the Moroccan defender.
While Dani Carvajal has been widely regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world in the last half a decade, he has endured a sharp decline in form and fitness levels. And with Alvaro Odriozola on loan at Fiorentina, Carlo Ancelotti has a shortage of options for the right-back slot, especially with Lucas Vazquez struggling to impress in a makeshift role this season.
Real Madrid might thus need to sign a right-back in the summer, with Nordi Mukiele one of the players on their radar. And Noussair Mazraoui has also emerged as a viable target, with the 24-year-old’s impending status as a free agent making him an attractive option.
Apart from Barcelona and Real Madrid, Mazraoui is also a target for Borussia Dortmund, meaning a transfer battle is on the cards to secure the player’s services. For now, what appears to be certain is that the Moroccan international will be leaving Ajax before completing a Bosman move to a European bigwig in the summer.