Krishnan Sreekumar
Transfer News: Newcastle United eyeing Manchester United captain and defender Harry Maguire
According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United skipper Harry Maguire has been linked with an exit from the club in the upcoming transfer window in favour of a move to Premier League rivals Newcastle United.
Maguire has not had the best of seasons at United this term, failing to impose himself on opposition strikers and prone to committing schoolboy errors, which has seen him face much criticism from the footballing world.
As captain of the side, he has failed to step up and inspire his teammates as they go through a poor campaign, losing permanent manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer late last year and currently struggling to put together a winning run under interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
He was last seen in United’s 4-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield last night, with the 29-year-old once again looking off the pace and being bullied by the front three of Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah, and Sadio Mane as they ran riot against their arch-rivals at home.
Escape route to Newcastle
After enjoying a miserable season in Manchester this term, reports from Spain suggest that Newcastle could offer him an escape route by making a €40m offer for the Red Devils captain. They are said to be interested in adding one more centre-back signing in the summer, after strengthening their rearguard with the addition of Dan Burn from Brighton in January.
The Magpies plan to entice the England international by making a pitch to rebuild his reputation after the intense scrutiny he has faced at Old Trafford. Maguire could also listen to offers that come his way in the summer, despite having a contract with United until 2025. That said, he is aware that he is not in a position to refuse an exit from the club.
Despite being the skipper of the side, there cannot be any surprise about Maguire being linked with a potential exit from the Manchester club given the criticism he has faced all season. He is yet to justify the price tag on his head ever since his move from Leicester City in 2019, making him the world’s most expensive defender.
The weight of the armband seems to have put him under even more pressure, with then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appointing him as the team’s captain within just a few months of his arrival, despite there being other senior figures in the side worthy of being given the captaincy.
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Despite his poor performances at club level, he continues to shine for the England national team under the tutelage of Gareth Southgate, who deploys him in a back three for the Three Lions. Maguire has been an important player for his country in the World Cup in 2018 and the 2020 Euros.
Unless he finds a way to replicate his form with England at the Theatre of Dreams for his club, the defender is unlikely to escape the scrutiny surrounding him. Until then, he will continue to be linked with moves away from Manchester.
