THE FUSE

After Morocco rejected United’s initial request, club officials escalated the issue to FIFA, hoping for flexibility. That hope was swiftly extinguished. FIFA sided with the Moroccan federation, pointing to the clear start date of the release period and leaving United with little room to manoeuvre. Internally, there was frustration that Morocco appeared to prioritise a training camp over a Premier League fixture of significant importance. However, there were no complaints about Mazraoui himself. The full-back remained professional throughout, training all week with United before departing for international duty late on Sunday evening.