According to reports from the Daily Mail, Manchester United are keen on signing Ajax youngster Abdellah Ouazane, who has been compared to England starlet Jude Bellingham by some.
United are looking to strengthen their squad with young players after some major mistakes on players who have flopped under the weight of expectation at Old Trafford.
Reportedly, the Red Devils only have a small transfer kitty to spend this summer, so they are looking at players who won’t cost a massive fee. With Ouazane being only 16 years of age, he is unlikely to cost a hefty fee.
Who is Abdellah Ouazane?
Ouazane joined Ajax’s youth system in 2016 alongside his brother Zakaria, who is a striker and is also highly rated.
He is a player that Ajax will likely to be a player the Dutch giants will look to keep hold of and develop in the future.
At just 16, the Moroccan under-17 international has already attracted interest from several different clubs, with United believed to be one of the main interested parties. However, United’s arch-rivals, Manchester City, are also reported to have scouted the youngster.
Despite being born in Amsterdam, he chose to represent Morocco at the under-17 level. He has recently starred in the under-17 African Cup of Nations, helping the hosts to the final of the competition, despite missing a spot-kick in a penalty shootout in the semi-finals against Ivory Coast. He has now made seven appearances for Morocco U-17s, scoring two goals.
Before playing for Morocco at U-17 level, the youngster represented the Netherlands at U-15 level.
The midfielder is excellent on the ball and has an eye for a pass and a goal. He is the sort of youngster who would be a perfect player to develop in Ajax’s famed academy. Given the Dutch club’s record of blooding players at a young age, Ouazane could well feature in the first team in the near future.
The youngster may feel that Ajax is the best place to grow
Speculation is part of being a footballer, and all talented Ajax youngsters are linked with moves to more high-profile leagues; it seems to be part of the course of playing for the Dutch giants.
As previously mentioned, young players are given a chance to shine at Ajax. So many of the club’s former players develop into stars. Even the players who don’t become headline performers tend to have decent careers at the top level of European football.
Ajax is very much an environment where players can grow, develop and thrive before the inevitable move to a club in England, Spain, Germany or Italy.
For Ouazane, making a move to a club like United, which is currently not in a great state, could be a mistake at this nascent stage of his career. Staying and learning at Ajax for a few more years can only benefit the youngster.
From the evidence so far, Ouazane has the potential to make it at the top level of the beautiful game. This is a pivotal time in his development as a footballer and, of course, as a person.
Not only does the Ajax youth system nurture good footballers, but it also tries to help develop the youngsters as people. One wrong move, and the midfielder could well see his progress stall.
🇲🇦 Manchester United scouts watched Ajax’s 16-year-old Abdellah Ouazane at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations Championships in Morocco last week. pic.twitter.com/nLdU5rHXQm https://t.co/5MUUmOj8om
— INEOS ERA (@MUNScout) April 12, 2025
Whether Abdellah Ouazane makes a move to Manchester United or any other club this summer remains to be seen. One thing is for sure, Ajax will be more than keen to keep the talented young star in Amsterdam and hopefully develop him into a first-team player of the future.
Will Abdellah Ouazane be on the move in the summer of 2025?