Everton are reportedly in a four-way transfer battle with West Ham, Tottenham and Chelsea for the signing of Manchester United defender Harry Maguire.
The England international, 30, lost his first-team spot at the club under Erik ten Hag last season, starting only eight Premier League games as a result. He is firmly behind Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez in the defensive pecking order and was stripped of the club’s captaincy last month. While Ten Hag has told the central defender that he’s still in his plans, there is the feeling that the Red Devils would cash in at the right price.
According to Football Insider, Everton are the frontrunners for the signing of Harry Maguire, having leapfrogged Spurs, West Ham and Chelsea in the transfer race.
Maguire joined Man Utd in the summer of 2019 from Leicester City for a fee of £80m, becoming the most expensive defender to date. He has gone on to rack up 175 appearances for the club and was indispensable until Ten Hag came in last year.
Having lost his first-team status and captaincy within a year, there’s a chance of the England international moving away from Old Trafford amid interest from Premier League clubs including Everton.
Harry Maguire to Everton—Good addition to the Toffees’ backline?
For the second successive season, Everton had to battle all the way until the end to maintain their top-flight status. One of the main reasons for the Toffees’ dismal 2022/23 campaign was their defence, which conceded 57 goals in 38 games.
Thus, it isn’t surprising to see Sean Dyche in the market for defensive reinforcements. Yerry Mina and Conor Coady left Goodison Park at the end of last season, while there are question marks over the future of Jarrad Branthwaite. For a club like Everton that spent the majority of last campaign in the relegation zone, an experienced customer to provide confidence and raise the morale of their defence is an absolute must.
Harry Maguire, in that regard, would be ideal for the Royal Blues. The 30-year-old may struggle to get into Ten Hag’s starting XI at Man United but he certainly will be the best defender at Everton if a deal happens. Vastly experienced and a leader, the Englishman would form a strong pairing with James Tarkowski at the heart of Everton’s rearguard.
The 30-year-old would bring stability to the Everton backline, whilst being a huge upgrade on the unreliable Michael Keane. Maguire still has a lot to offer and would be a solid addition to this Toffees squad that needs a new direction.
With the 2024 European Championships happening next summer, Maguire will be keen to maintain his spot in the England squad. It would be tough for Gareth Southgate to continue picking the defender if he isn’t playing games regularly at club level. Thus, the time is perfect for Maguire to leave Man United and join Everton in a bid to keep his hopes of playing for England in the biggest competitions.
