Harry Maguire’s future at Manchester United has never been more uncertain amid his dwindling influence at the club and interest in him has intensified recently.
After West Ham United’s £20 million bid was rejected, Football Insider now reports that Everton are leading the chase for Harry Maguire, having leapfrogged Tottenham and the Hammers.
Sean Dyche’s team have lost Conor Coady and Yerry Mina in this transfer window so reinforcements at centre-back are on the agenda.
Maguire fits Dyche’s style of play perfectly as the big centre-back who’s a threat in the air with appreciable ball-playing skills.
However, the report states that the Toffees will find themselves in a scrap for his signature, with Spurs and West Ham not admitting defeat, and Chelsea also lurking.
Maguire’s contract at United expires in 2025 with an option for another year which, as things stand, is unlikely to be triggered by the club any time soon.
With two years left on his contract, United are in a strong negotiating position for a player who, despite his fall from grace at club level, is a bonafide asset at the international level and in the right system.
His wages of around £200k/week are proving to be a stumbling block to any potential deal, and so is his reticence about leaving United.
It has been reported previously that the Englishman wants to stay and fight for his place in the team. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to see how his minutes will come in the coming season.
Even makeshift centre-back Luke Shaw was preferred over him last season and with the return of Alvaro Fernandez to man the left-back spot in emergency, Maguire’s candidacy at the centre-back will fall further due to the knock-on effect of Shaw’s availability.
Maguire’s interest in a potential move to Everton isn’t known yet so it remains to be seen if they can convince him, since he wasn’t keen on joining West Ham and Dyche’s team is in an even worse position competitively.