Harry Maguire wages update emerges as West Ham United target transfer for £40m Manchester United captain
Harry Maguire’s “wage demands are likely to be too high” for West Ham to sign him this summer, according to The Telegraph.
David Moyes likes the Old Trafford captain, who remains the record holder as the most expensive defender of all time after his £80million switch from Leicester in 2019 [Daily Mail, 5 August], and he has been mooted as a potential makeweight in a bid for Declan Rice.
The England international would be allowed to leave for half that price in a straight transfer this summer after falling out of favour under Erik ten Hag [Daily Mail, 25 June].
But it appears a contract agreement could prove prohibitive at the London Stadium according to Jason Burt in The Telegraph.
Climbdown
Unless Maguire is content to remain a back-up option in Manchester, and while he continues to picked to start for England by Gareth Southgate he might be, he could face the prospect of having to make what he might see as a step down.
A huge success at Leicester, the transition from playing for a team that can sit further back and hit opponents on the counter to one that is expected to dominate possession and hold a higher line has been a difficult one for the 30-year-old.
His pace and turning speed are clearly weaknesses, but with David Moyes now looking set to remain at West Ham for the foreseeable future after winning the Europa Conference League the Scot could likely capitalise on the centre-back’s strengths if he reverts back to a more reactive set up.
Whether Maguire would be prepared to lower his wage demands if he is sold on a project outside Old Trafford would likely depend on whether he has other options at the top tier.
He has been linked to Chelsea last summer [Daily Mail, 19 August] but it would surely be a surprise if interest was maintained there a year on.
His prospects appear very limited under Ten Hag so further into the transfer window this could be one that becomes more doable, but it seems that right now the money might not be right.
In other West Ham news, the Irons are in negotiations to start signing midfield replacements with the first name looking likely.