Manchester United: The Red Devils are finally close to putting an end to the nightmare that was Harry Maguire. They bought the English defender from Leicester and what was supposed to be a blessing, turned into a nightmare. Maguire was never up to the mark in Old Trafford and was always bearing the brunt of the fans. He kept making mistakes and never found his best footing for Man United. Now, Manchester United are close to selling him to West Ham. The Red Devils also have a four-man shortlist ready as they look to replace the defender.
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As they look for a successor for Harry Maguire, Manchester United is reportedly interested in Bayern Munich star Benjamin Pavard. Maguire’s time at Old Trafford is poised to come to an end after United and West Ham reached a £30 million deal on Wednesday.
According to the Mail Online, Pavard is one of four players on the shortlist to take the position of the England defender. Since the beginning of the previous season’s winter transfer window, United has been considering the versatile defender.
Manchester United options
Given that the World Cup winner, Pavard has one year left on his current contract and is reportedly “keen” to leave, United may be able to sign him to a reasonable term. The other candidates listed in Ten Hag’s notebook are reportedly Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, Jean-Clair Todibo, and Edmond Tapsoba.
Another important consideration for United to consider is Tapsoba’s contract, which expires next summer. However, his German team, Bayer Leverkusen, will not be prepared to sell him for a low price. Since moving to Nice for £8.5 million in 2021 from Barcelona, Todibo has flourished. Juventus was also interested in the 23-year-old center back this summer, but the Italians were turned off by his £35 million price tag.
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Although that might appear inexpensive in comparison to Guehi, who would cost Palace more after winning four caps for England in the previous season. Luke Shaw occasionally stepped in last season, but United are left with Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, and Victor Lindelof to play in the center of defense without Maguire.
Eric Bailly, who recently returned from his loan at Marseille, is still listed on the roster. Additionally, Jonny Evans, who joined the team on a temporary contract during preseason, is still there. The 35-year-old veteran might continue as a productive short-term option while the team searches for a more youthful replacement.
West Ham closing in on Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire’s deal with West Ham has been approved for a £30 million fee. Since Maguire was relieved of his duties as Manchester United captain, the Hammers have been pursuing the England defender all summer. Erik ten Hag, the manager at Old Trafford, has found him unnecessary.
Maguire has been mentioned in connection with Chelsea and Tottenham, but West Ham has always been the front-runner for the center-half. They have an agreement with United in a transaction that is close to £30 million, according to Sky Sports.
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