Ajax chief Edwin Van Der Sar recently conceded to losing right-back Noussair Mazraoui from the club’s ranks, given his impending free agent status at the end of the current Eredivisie season.
The young Moroccan full-back has been the transfer talk of Barcelona, as Blaugrana coach Xavi Hernandez is presently unconvinced with the presence of Sergino Dest, who has held the right-back post for a short while now.
With the latter set to move at the earliest, a full-time direct replacement in Mazraoui is expected to arrive at Camp Nou.
However, according to latest reports from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, two Italian giants are also making their presence known for the 24-year-old. Roma and Napoli are eyeing a free transfer for the highly-rated defender.
The Giallorossi are keen on grouping right-back Rick Karsdorp with another player who can pose a threat to his place in the first team, whereas the Partenopei are in a similar situation, looking for someone who can give competition to Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Mazraoui is the product of the world-renowned Ajax youth academy. He has etched his place in the first team uninterruptedly since the 2018/19 season and has a career total of 168 appearances for Ajax (first and reserve team), scoring 21 goals in the process.
The Dutch-born Moroccan already has 21 appearances and four goals for Ajax this season.