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Man United have three players away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Man United have been dealing with the inconvenience of the Africa Cup of Nations in the past month, as three of their star players are away on international duty, and are still yet to return.
Amad Diallo’s Ivory Coast has just been knocked out, so he will come back soon, much like Bryan Mbeumo, whose Cameroon side lost at the quarter-final stage. They lost to Morocco, which means that Noussair Mazraoui remains away on international duty, as they face Nigeria in the semi-finals on Wednesday night.
Fresh transfer reports claim that one of the three Man United stars could come back to transfer speculation, as it is understood that Juventus are interested in signing one of them this month.
Juventus eye up move for Mazraoui
Noussair Mazraoui has been a reliable signing ever since he joined from Bayern Munich in 2024. He has made 66 appearances, providing three assists, and featuring both as more of a central defender and as a wing-back. His versatility makes him a valuable asset for the Red Devils.
However, he could see himself leave immediately after returning from AFCON, as Juventus are reportedly keen on him. According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the Italian club are exploring the possibility of signing Mazraoui, as they are desperate for more quality at full-back.
It is claimed that Juventus wanted to sign him in 2024, when he first joined Man United, and so, they are plotting a potential move before the end of the month to bolster their options at the back.
Man United only paid £13m for Mazraoui, who has an estimated market value of around £19m, so they could make a profit on him, but he would be a significant loss. Former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves loves the Moroccan defender, he said on TNT Sports last season, “Mazraoui plays amazing every time he plays, there’s a lot of potential here."
Man United could replace Mazraoui with Llorente
It is claimed that Man United have bid £30m for Llorente at Atletico, as they view him as an experienced and versatile defender, who can provide United with some much-needed quality as a full-back as they chase Champions League football.
If United were to sell Mazraoui for around £20m, they could bring in Llorente as his replacement, and it would almost be a like-for-like swap, as both are attacking full-backs who can play in a multitude of positions. It wouldn’t be a bad piece of business for the Red Devils.
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