Noussair Mazraoui is the kind of name that does not immediately set the fanbase alight like a headline-grabbing signing, but he is certainly the type of player who can make a manager very happy. Moroccan, born in 1997, naturally right-footed, he was developed as a right-back but can also play as a right-sided centre-back in a back three, as a wing-back, and, when needed, on the opposite flank. He is under contract with Manchester United until 30 June 2028, and his market value is estimated to be around €20 million.
Why Noussair Mazraoui is appreciated by the new AC Milan manager Ruben Amorim
Mazraoui would suit Ruben Amorim for one simple reason: he is an “elastic” player. In the Portuguese coach’s football, where a back three and the wing-backs constantly have to interpret spaces, pressing situations and defensive cover, a player like him can become extremely valuable. He is not merely a full-back who relies on running power; he is also highly skilled on the ball, capable of moving into central areas, combining with teammates, escaping pressure and supporting attacks without losing his defensive balance.
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Amorim already knows Mazraoui from his time at Manchester United. In his first official starting XI against Ipswich, the Morocco international was included among the starters alongside former Milan player Diogo Dalot, a sign of immediate trust in a tactically reliable profile. This is another reason why his name is interesting: he would not represent a tactical leap into the unknown, but rather a player who has already been tested within the coach’s ideas.
What are Mazraoui's weaknesses?
Of course, we are not talking about a perfect footballer, but rather a player who does have some limitations. Among these are his relatively modest attacking numbers. In his most recent Premier League season, for example, he made 20 appearances, totalling fewer than 1,000 minutes, and failed to register either a goal or an assist.
In other words, if Gerry Cardinale’s Milan are looking for a player capable of being strong defensively while also making a decisive impact in the attacking third, Mazraoui may not be the ideal profile.
For Milan, however, the Moroccan’s profile could be viewed as a highly useful right-sided fourth-choice option, as well as a potential right-sided centre-back when required. His main strengths are technical cleanliness, defensive reading, versatility and ball retention.
One of the question marks is also his physical reliability, given the number of injuries that have forced him to miss time in recent seasons (six since the 2024/25 season, for a total of 98 days sidelined).
For Ruben Amorim, however, Mazraoui is exactly the type of player who makes a team more solid and balanced. He may not sell shirts like a number 10, but he can help make everyone around him perform better.
