Newcastle favourites to sign Harry Maguire

Stuart Telford

• 9 Mar 2023 09:11 GMT
• 3 min read

Newcastle have emerged as frontrunners to sign Harry Maguire from Manchester United, with the Red Devils captain's Old Trafford future in doubt.

Maguire was made Man Utd captain by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in January 2020 and Erik ten Hag confirmed his role on taking charge last summer, but Maguire has nonetheless fallen down the pecking order under the Dutchman.

Maguire has made just five starts in the Premier League this season as Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have dominated the central defensive positions.

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He was linked with a move to Chelsea last summer and photographed with his agent having a meal at a restaurant near Aston Villa's training ground during the winter transfer window, but nothing concrete has materialised yet.

Talk of the Toon

That could change next summer, with the Magpies emerging as a potential suitor.

"Newcastle are understood to be monitoring Maguire's situation," report 90min. "While United would prefer an outright sale if Maguire is to leave, a loan may be considered in order to facilitate taking on his sizeable wages on the condition that deal leads to a future permanent deal."

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Maguire remains the most expensive defender of all time after his £80 million transfer from Leicester to Man Utd in August 2019, but United know they will need to take a hit on order to offload the England international.

Maguire is currently valued at €31m (£27.6m) by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm, and a fee in that region would appear to be more likely.

How much Newcastle need another centre-back remains up for debate. The Toon boast the meanest defence in the Premier League this season having conceded just 17 goals.

Fabian Schar and Sven Botman have central defence under lock and key while Dan Burn, a centre-back by trade, has been deputising at left-back with aplomb.