Sky Sports pundit dubs Harry Maguire move to West Ham United ‘perfect’ after transfer update
Harry Maguire to West Ham United would have been a “perfect” move to get his career back on track and boost his chances of retaining his space in the England team, according to Olivia Buzaglo.
On Good Morning Transfers (29 August), the Sky Sports presenter claimed that Maguire staying at Manchester United is a poor decision as she can’t see the former captain getting regular game time since falling significantly down the pecking order at Old Trafford.
With The Sun reporting that Maguire won’t depart Manchester due to demanding a £15million contract pay-out, it is unlikely he will depart this summer, which Buzaglo suggests will impact his international ambitions.
On Sky Sports’ Good Morning Transfers, Buzaglo said: “It seems like quite a complicated deal. There’s obviously more than a club wanting him and him wanting to go or stay. That’s why it hasn’t happened.
“It does feel like when we’ve watched Manchester United this season in the short amount of games, he’s not first, second, third or maybe even fourth choice centre-back.
“So, when is Harry Maguire realistically going to play unless Manchester United are unlucky and get a lot of injuries in that position? You’re thinking maybe a couple of League Cups, maybe FA Cup games, but also it’s the Euros next summer.
“We know how much Gareth Southgate loves and rates Maguire, but when you’re not playing Premier League football consistently in the build-up to a really big tournament, and equally there are other players that are, I just really struggle to see how this would work out for Maguire.
“That West Ham move would have been absolutely perfect for him in terms of getting his career back on track. Now he’s staying at Manchester United, it’s really difficult to see how he’ll do that.”
Move needed
It would be in Harry Maguire’s best interest to change the dialogue surrounding his career. Since his £80million move to Manchester United, he has been the focus of consistent criticism.
While some of this has been justified, perhaps the environment at Old Trafford and the extra pressure that comes with being the main defender and captain at the club is too much for the 30-year-old.
His one saving grace in this period has been his performances for England. He was a titan in the 2020 European Championships and performed well at the recent World Cup, with his international career frequently trumping his club performances.
If he remains in Manchester, Southgate will have a hard time justifying his selection if Maguire is on the plane to Germany this summer.
As Buzaglo suggested, the deal is likely to be quite complicated with The Sun reporting (28 August) that Manchester United will block any West Ham moves as Maguire is demanding a £15million pay-off to leave.
Maguire may regret his chance to get regular first-team football, but as it stands his move to Stratford is looking unlikely.
In other West Ham news, a Hammers face disappointment target’s club has made a decision on his future.