Harry Maguire could still leave Man Utd before deadline after transfer U-turn

27 August 2023 , 11:15

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Harry Maguire could still leave Man Utd before deadline after transfer U-turn

West Ham have reignited their interest in Manchester United defender Harry Maguire.

The Hammers agreed a £30million transfer fee with United for Maguire, 30, earlier this summer but were unable to finalise personal terms due to the player's hefty salary. He earns around £190,000-a-week at Old Trafford, which West Ham can't afford to match.

United must agree a pay-off with Maguire for the transfer to proceed. The England international still has two years remaining on his contract and will lose a substantial amount of his expected earnings if he leaves Manchester without a pay-off.

Maguire is expected to complete the transfer if this lingering issue can be sorted. He is keen to play regular first-team football to ensure he's in Gareth Southgate's England squad for next summer's Euros in Germany, something that's not guaranteed at United.

Maguire's West Ham contract is thought to be around £120,000-a-week, amounting to a £70,000-a-week pay cut. It's believed United have offered him a £6million pay-off to leave Erik ten Hag's squad, but that's still a financial blow for the defender.

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According to The Sun, West Ham will try to appease the situation by offering a little bit more money to Maguire. All parties will need to get around the table quickly, however, as the summer transfer window closes on Friday.

Maguire has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford since Ten Hag was appointed by United in the summer of 2022. He started just eight Premier League games last season and is yet to make a single appearance this time around.

Harry Maguire is still wanted by West Ham (Getty Images)

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Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw are all preferred at centre-back by Ten Hag. When Varane was substituted at half-time during United's 3-2 against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, it was Lindeolf who came on - not Maguire.

Ten Hag also stripped Maguire of the captaincy earlier this summer and gave the armband to Bruno Fernandes. Maguire's first-team opportunities could be limited even further when Jonny Evans' one-year deal with United is announced in the coming days.

Ten Hag has told Maguire he must fight for is place in the starting XI if he wants to stay at Old Trafford. He told reporters earlier this month: "For Harry, that is just how I described it. He has to fight for his place.

"He has the ability to be a top-class centre-back and he is the best for England so why shouldn’t he be the best for us? But he has to prove it. When he is not confident enough to fight then he has to go. Then he has to make a decision, but I’m happy with him."

Tom Blow