Maguire offered Premier League exit from Man Utd nightmare

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 18 Jan 2023 10:18 GMT
• 3 min read

Harry Maguire could be offered the opportunity to leave Manchester United during the January transfer window, with interest from Premier League rivals West Ham emerging.

The England international has seen his status at Old Trafford go into sharp decline over the course of the last 18 months.

Following Euro 2020, where he gave a strong performance with Gareth Southgate’s side, there were high hopes that he might live up to his €87 million (£80m) price tag – a world record for a central defender.

The 10 most expensive transfers of January window

His 2021/22 campaign was littered with errors, though, and the arrival of Erik ten Hag has done him no favours. Maguire is not suited to the type of football the Dutchman preaches and as such has seen his importance decline to such a level that left-back Luke Shaw is now being preferred to him in the heart of the rearguard.

FootballTransfers understands that it is Ten Hag’s intention to offload Maguire, as well as several other fringe players, and replace them with more suitable alternatives, although he perhaps did not envisage a deal being possible in January for the former Hull City and Leicester star.

MORE: Ronaldo to captain Saudi XI against Messi’s PSG

Harry Maguire to West Ham?

West Ham are mulling over a potential move, according to The Mirror, which states that a loan deal is possible before a permanent move in the summer.

The London club are poised for the exit of Craig Dawson, and fighting against relegation, they are in urgent need of an alternative.

Maguire could provide this, with the 29-year-old ideal for the type of scrap that the Hammers and former Man Utd boss David Moyes presently find themselves in.

Man Utd are reportedly willing to take a “considerable loss” on Maguire, who is valued by FootballTransfers at €33m – well under half of what he was bought for in the summer of 2019.