West Ham United transfer news as £30m Harry Maguire deal now in doubt, alternative targets now looked at
West Ham United have started looking at alternative defensive targets as doubts grow over whether they will sign Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, according to The Telegraph.
According to the online report (14 August), the £30million deal to acquire the centre-half is now understood to be in the balance, with West Ham impatient at the length of time it is taking.
The issue is understood to be one between United and Maguire with the England international said to be negotiating a pay-off from Manchester United to leave (Jacob Steinberg, 14 August), as he prepares to take a pay cut to move to the London Stadium.
However, the Hammers are concerned about how long the deal is taking and have now started looking at potential alternatives in the market.
The news comes as a blow as they had been increasingly confident over the weekend of finalising the move, after completing deals for Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse.
Good things come to those who wait
There was some concern among the fan base that the reason this deal hasn’t progressed since a bid was accepted was because of Maguire’s wages, but that now appears to be the case.
However, given Maguire’s standing at Old Trafford and his wage package, the deal was always going to take a bit of time to complete, which means the Hammers have simply got to be patient.
What is certain is that David Moyes is desperate to acquire his services, the England international wants to join the club and Manchester United are open to selling. Three crucial components in any transfer.
Maguire is too good an opportunity for the Hammers to pass up on as his experience, defensive quality and leadership could certainly boost the club both on and off the pitch as they aim to build on last season’s European success.
West Ham’s alternative targets may have the desired quality but none of them will offer the knowledge and experience that Maguire could add to Moyes’ squad and for that reason, the Irons simply have to be patient. This is a big transfer.
Good things come to those who wait, right?
In other West Ham news, the club’s stance on another potential signing has emerged with the deal still yet to be complete.