Erik ten Hag has revealed the availability of an ideal transfer for Arsenal in the summer transfer window. It seemed that Noussair Mazraoui was on his way to Bayern Munich, but this may not be the case just yet.
According to the Daily Mirror, ten Hag wants to replace Aaron Wan-Bissaka with Ajax’s Mazraoui, despite the full-back preferring a move to Bayern Munich. This is certainly a player Arsenal could come in for, as Eurosport previously reported that Edu was keeping tabs on the Morocco international.
The Gunners will be in need of a full-back acquisition in the summer transfer window due to the shortages and lack of quality in that position. Mazraoui would certainly be an excellent addition to Mikel Arteta’s side.
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There is an extra incentive to sign him as his contract is set to expire at the end of the season with Ajax, meaning he will be available on a free transfer. This is ideal for Edu, as it means he could save money and use it to spend on other areas of the squad, rather than using it to bring in an expensive full-back.
Mazraoui is a product of the famous Ajax academy and has played for the Dutch side since he was eight years old, but his time with the side seems to be coming to an end. When he was asked by Dutch media on his plans for next season, Mazraoui said, via The Sun : "That's a good question. I think the chances of me remaining at Ajax are very small, maybe 5%."
The 23-year-old has plenty of Champions League experience and was instrumental in helping a young Ajax squad get to the semi-finals of the competition in the 2018/2019 season. He’d certainly fit Arsenal’s mould in terms of signing young players and he is a quality right-back that Arsenal could sign for cheap, which follows the example of Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Despite the excellent acquisition of Tomiyasu from Bologna in a bargain £19.8m deal, Arteta’s side still requires another right-back in the squad. Due to the sale of Calum Chambers, it means that Tomiyasu has been left with little competition for his spot.
Cedric Soares has been utilized as Tomiyasu’s back-up this campaign, but his performances have shown that he is not at the level that is capable of Arsenal competing for a regular place in the Champions League. The Portugal international needs to be replaced by a more reliable and younger full-back.
Mazraoui certainly fits this profile, but a deal will not be easy as it seems Bayern Munich are advanced in their negotiations for the defender. Despite this, ten Hag’s interest in the defender shows that a deal is still possible for the Gunners, especially if Champions League football is achieved at the end of the season, as this would give Edu the required leverage over Manchester United in attempting to secure his services.
