28-capped star reveals Ten Hag's influence in move to Man United - report
Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui has opened up on the reasons behind his move to Old Trafford this summer.
The Moroccan right-back joined the Red Devils from Bayern Munich in a £17 million deal, reuniting with United manager Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
Mazraoui joined United alongside former Ajax teammate Matthijs de Ligt, and both defenders enjoyed superb spells under Ten Hag’s leadership at the Dutch powerhouse.
Mazraoui came close to joining West Ham United after they agreed a fee to sign him from Bayern.
However, the transfer collapsed after West Ham refused to meet his agent’s demands, allowing United to swoop in for the Morocco international.
After joining United, Mazraoui cited Ten Hag as a major reason for his decision to move to the Theatre of Dreams after leaving Bayern.
“I don’t really have to go into details about the reasons because Manchester United is a big club,” Mazraoui told beIN SPORTS.
“From a young age, if you asked me if I wanted to play for Man United, I would say yes.
“What helped, of course, was that the coach and the way of football fit me perfectly. So I know how we’re going to play, and it would make my quality even better, so that really helped.
“Also, I know some players here. It’s nice to have as a bonus point.
“My relationship with Ten Hag is very good. As a manager, I like his thoughts about football, how he sees football, his tactics and what he demands from us as players suits me very well.”
Mazraoui has already made his mark with United. He made his debut against Fulham and impressed with his composure, on-the-ball prowess# and overall performance.
The 26-year-old retained his place in the United starting XI for the clash against Brighton & Hove Albion. Despite being on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline, he impressed with his first assist for the Red Devils.
He’ll be hoping to build on a fine start to life in Manchester when United host Liverpool at Old Trafford this weekend.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com.