According to Talksport, Manchester United have tabled an £80 million bid to sign Harry Maguire. The Red Devils have set a deadline till Monday, meaning they will likely move onto other targets, if Leicester City do not accept the offer within the given time.
Maguire, however, is the Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer’s desired transfer target and it seems that the Norwegian is willing to splash the cash on the England international. In this article, we will discuss what the potential addition of the defender could mean to the Manchester United setup.
At least one United defender must leave
Solskjaer must make space available for Maguire, should the ex-Hull City star opt to join Manchester United this summer. That means at least one central defender must leave Old Trafford, with Marcos Rojo being the likeliest choice.
The Argentine ace has struggled with injuries for the most of his spell at Man United. And the potential addition of Maguire could further make it difficult for him to get regular game-time, meaning a move away from Manchester might be logical.
Another unwanted player is Phil Jones. Much like Rojo, the England defender has also struggled with injuries while his performances haven’t been consistent either. Getting rid of both these defenders might make a world of sense for Solskjaer if he aims to usher in a new era at United in the upcoming season.
Can United pursue other targets?
One would argue that splashing £80 million on Maguire could consume a chunk of Man United’s transfer budget this summer. But, the Red Devils will likely be able to pursue other targets, especially in the other departments like midfield and attack.
This is mainly because Solskjaer can use both Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku as a potential source of income. Both the stars have been linked with a move away from the club and given their high valuation; United will easily be able to afford new signings so long they opt to sell either of these two players.
Lukaku’s sale does make sense from a sporting perspective. As for Pogba, it remains to be seen whether the club manages to keep hold of his services beyond this summer, with Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane seemingly keen on signing the Frenchman.
Will Maguire be the perfect partner to Lindelof?
Victor Lindelof was the only bright spark in an otherwise dire defensive performance from Manchester United last season. And the Swede is a guaranteed first-team regular in this new campaign, meaning Maguire is likely to partner him at the heart of the four-man United backline.
Lindelof is more of a technically flexible defender, who can play the ball out from the back. He also has excellent positional awareness. Maguire, in contrast, is a robust centre-half, who has this no-nonsense mentality. The 26-year-old is also superior in terms of physical and aerial prowess.
And these dogged defensive qualities should help Lindelof come out of his shell and play a vital role in United’s build-up from the back. Hence, Maguire could turn out to be an excellent partner for the former Benfica man.
