Manchester United delay Harry Maguire exit deal after West Ham United bid accepted – Fabrizio Romano
The deal for Harry Maguire is “not done yet” despite West Ham having a £30million offer accepted because Manchester United want more internal talks first, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Italian transfer specialist reported via Twitter Friday (11 August) that the Hammers proposal was accepted “three days ago” but the delay is down to the Old Trafford side wanting to “start talks and pick [a] favourite candidate” to replace him before they let their former captain leave.
Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg has reported (9 August) a “total verbal agreement” with the 30-year-old defender with the “severance pay” he is due from his current club to be confirmed.
Maguire is in line to become the third West Ham signing of the summer after Edson Alvarez was announced on Thursday (10 August) and with James Ward-Prowse on the way in.
More delays
As if West Ham haven’t managed to saddle themselves with enough of an uphill battle to get off to a good start in the Premier League without new arrivals in the team, one of the selling clubs is now helping to push this one back further.
David Moyes confirmed in his pre-match press conference that even Alvarez isn’t going to be in the squad to face Bournemouth, and Ward-Prowse hasn’t been entirely sealed yet.
If Manchester United want to get a Maguire replacement lined up first it could be days before the England defender’s arrival at the London Stadium goes through.
So it will be last season’s squad with at least Declan Rice, Gianluca Scamacca and Manuel Lanzini removed for the Cherries game.
West Ham have been chasing Maguire for weeks now so it will come as another transfer frustration that their Old Trafford counterparts apparently still need to decide how to replace him.
But extra stumbling blocks inevitably cause greater issues when business is left to the last minute, so it looks like it will be a mad scramble before 1 September to get the necessary deals done in time.
In other West Ham news, another major exit is now considered “likely” in the time available, the player has already said “yes”.