Roland Cutinho
West Ham United looking for alternate targets as their move for Manchester United’s Harry Maguire continues to stall
West Ham United’s patience is wearing thin due to the lengthy process of Manchester United defender Harry Maguire’s transfer.
With the Red Devils having agreed to a £30 million offer, the Hammers initially held optimism about quickly securing a permanent move for the English star.
Nonetheless, as indicated by The Telegraph (Subscription Required), David Moyes’ side might need to explore other defensive possibilities due to a delay in the potential transfer.
It is still unclear why the plans have changed in such a short span of time. It has been said that the delay in the potential transfer is originating from Man United’s end rather than West Ham’s side.
Speculation has arisen regarding Maguire’s contract, which is believed to involve a weekly earning of around £200,000.
This has led to suggestions that United might be negotiating a compensation package before officially approving the deal.
However, with only two weeks remaining in the summer transfer window, the centre-back’s current club needs to act swiftly if he is to secure a move for more consistent playing time.
So far, West Ham remains the sole interested party in his transfer. But things have started to change as the East London club is looking for alternate targets since they are growing frustrated due to a lack of movement in the Maguire deal.
As per the Sun, the Hammers have turned their focus to Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Odilon Kossounou, which could directly affect United’s transfer plans.
Currently, in search of a new central defender, Man United have been linked to potential options, including Benjamin Pavard and Jean-Clair Todibo.
Initially, it was stated that manager Erik ten Hag had earmarked Pavard, and discussions have been initiated with Bayern Munich for the versatile French player, who can operate both as a centre-back and right-back.
Nonetheless, the prospect of signing Todibo remains feasible. The Nice star has the advantage of being almost four years younger than Pavard.
Both players offer an upgrade in terms of their adeptness in ball distribution as well as their prowess in tackling. However, the pursuit of either player could be hindered if Maguire opts to remain with the club.
The Red Devils are aiming to offload the former Leicester City star and channel the funds towards acquiring a new centre-back. However, this strategy could be jeopardised if West Ham fails to land their preferred target this summer.
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After a piece of super positive news concerning Maguire, the fans would now be left in the dark if the deal failed to materialise.
