Frank McAvennie urges West Ham United to sign Harry Maguire in Manchester United ‘pressure’ claim
Frank McAvennie has urged West Ham to sign Harry Maguire amid claims he couldn’t cope with the pressure and has been given a hard time at Manchester United.
The former West Ham man insisted that you see the real version of Maguire when he plays for England away from the pressure his club brings.
The Hammers have been linked with a possible £15million move to sign the England defender after their approaches in last summer’s transfer window fell through.
McAvennie – speaking exclusively to West Ham Zone – insisted that pairing Maguire with another new defender would be “a lot better” for David Moyes’ team.
“He’s a decent player, just the burden of playing for Manchester United might be too great for him. Being captain and all this, he’s been given a hard time. You see how he plays when he plays for England, that’s the real Harry Maguire,” McAvennie assessed.
“It just shows you how much pressure it is, some people don’t realise. Going to Manchester United or Liverpool, the pressure is on you every game.
“I would love Harry Maguire. Yeah, he’ll make mistakes, but him and somebody else at the back would be a lot better. Get him in and a good centre-half and let the boys go and play.“
Could West Ham sign Harry Maguire from Manchester United?
Given the level of West Ham’s interest in Maguire during last summer’s transfer window, if he were to become available this season, they could jump at the opportunity to bring him to the London Stadium – especially if Moyes remains in charge.
McAvennie’s assessment of the pressure the defender faced at Manchester United is accurate, players often can’t cope with the expectation of such a big step, especially after being handed the captain’s armband, so a move to West Ham could suit Maguire.
The former Hammer has also been critical of the current centre-back pairing at the London Stadium, with Kurt Zouma and Konstantinos Mavropanos coming under plenty of criticism for their inconsistent and mistake-prone performances.
The arrival of Maguire would see an immediate step up in quality at the back, with his international experience also lending itself to the squad, and as McAvennie predicts, could see the Hammers improve yet again.
In other West Ham news, Dharmesh Sheth has shared an “important” new Moyes update.
For more West Ham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.