Dean Saunders urges Harry Maguire to leave Man United in January live on talkSPORT, mentions West Ham United
Dean Saunders has urged Harry Maguire to leave Manchester United in January after a move to West Ham failed to materialise over the summer.
Speaking on talkSPORT on Thursday (28 December), the pundit said the only reason the 30-year-old centre-back won’t leave the Red Devils in the transfer window is because he’s on that much that nobody else can afford to sign him after he previously couldn’t agree terms with the Hammers.
But he added that the England international needs to “go where he’s appreciated” after he’s been in and out of the team at Old Trafford under Erik ten Hag.
Asked who should leave their club in January, Saunders said: “Harry Maguire. Do you know, Harry Maguire knows the manager has tried to sell him about five times. Well, Harry Maguire, the only reason Harry Maguire’s not leaving is because he’s on that much money that nobody else can afford to pay him.
“He goes to West Ham, they can’t afford to match his wages, so he asks for a compromise, bearing in mind Man United were letting him go.
“Harry went ‘I’m losing too much money, you’re going to have to make it up, so Man United are going to have give me something to leave and West Ham are going to have to give me a bit more, otherwise I’m losing money’, so he stayed.
“He’s tried to get rid of him, he needs to go where he’s appreciated. He’s a good lad, he’s had a bad time, he’s still getting support from Gareth Southgate. But for me, when you know a manager doesn’t want you, there’s only one thing going to happen, you’ve got to leave.”
Unlikely
It seems incredibly unlikely that Maguire will leave Man United in the January transfer window after the transfer saga that unfolded last summer.
The centre-back has also actually worked his way back into contention over the past couple of months, having started the majority of their recent games before being struck down with a groin injury that has kept him out of the past three matches.
There is no doubt that he would add quality to the Hammers’ backline, but the Red Devils aren’t going to sell him to a club they are currently rivalling for a top-six position.
Let’s be honest, the Irons are also definitely not going to fork out a reported £200,000 a week to pay Maguire’s wages as that would break their current structure.
David Moyes could, however, look to sign another central defender in January after his side have conceded 30 goals in their opening 18 games – the second-most of any side in the top half of the Premier League table.
In other West Ham news, Arsenal have deliberately tried to annoy Hammers fans in a social media post.