Fabrizio Romano says Harry Maguire always wanted to go to West Ham United
Star is keen to work with David Moyes, but transfer deadline clock is ticking
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claims Harry Maguire has always been keen to join West Ham United as his Manchester United future continues to stutter.
Maguire has gone from captain of the Red Devils to fifth-choice centre back at the club, behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw.
And while injuries to Shaw and Varane might have offered Maguire a glimpse of first team action, Erik ten Hag’s reported urgency in seeking cover at left back, plus the one-year signing of free agent Jonny Evans, suggest that even under these circumstances, he will be warming the bench.
The Hammers agreed a £30 million deal with United for the England man but the deal broke down a couple of weeks ago, with various reports claiming he was holding out for a deal with a Champions League side and that he expected a pay-off to compensate him for the drop in salary he would have to accept to leave Old Trafford.
But over the weekend, rumours have started to circulate that the deal could be resurrected, with the London club potentially helping to offset the wage cut by paying a signing-on fee.
The possibility of it being a loan deal was also mooted.
And now, Romano says Maguire was always keen on the move but the problem now might be a lack of time to close the deal.
“I’m not aware of Harry Maguire rejecting West Ham … he has always been open to joining [them] this summer but he wants to do so on his conditions; and the player is also really attracted by the chance of joining David Moyes,” Romano said in his Caughtoffside column this morning.
“For the rest of the transfer window, Maguire would be open to a loan move from now to Deadline Day, but Erik ten Hag and Man United feel it’s going be difficult to replace him if he leaves on loan so at the moment it’s still not easy and it looks like the defender might stay.”
One player that could replace Maguire if he was to leave is OGC Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo. Nice are reportedly closing in on a replacement but United would have to sell Maguire for that deal to materialise, rather than send him out on loan.
There seems little advantage to United of a loan at this stage but a lot of pieces have to fall into place between now and 11pm on Friday if a permanent deal is to be completed.
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Hammers beat Gunners, Blues to sign $75m star as Arsenal star loaned out: PL Done Deals
West Ham signed Ghana midfielder Mohammed Kudus from Ajax in a deal worth a reported £38 million ($A75 million) on Sunday.
Kudus agreed a five-year contract with the Premier League club and becomes their fourth major signing since the end of last season.
The 23-year-old scored 19 goals and laid on seven assists in all competitions for Ajax last season.
He scored a hat-trick in Ajax’s Europa League playoff win over Ludogorets in Bulgaria on Thursday.
“I’ve been dreaming to play in a league like this since I was a kid,” Kudus told West Ham’s website.
“I’ve been dreaming of this moment and I’m so happy to be here. But it doesn’t stop here, I want to keep going.
“I try my best to entertain the fans as I think that’s what football is all about. I can’t wait to get started.”
Kudus has won 24 caps for Ghana and featured in last year’s World Cup in Qatar. He had played for Ajax since 2020 and won two Dutch titles with the club. West Ham had already signed Kudus’s Ajax teammate Edson Alvarez earlier in the summer.
England midfielder James Ward-Prowse and Greece defender Konstantinos Mavropanos have also arrived at the London Stadium as the Hammers spend the cash earned from Declan Rice’s £105 million ($A206m) sale to Arsenal.
“I’m delighted we’ve been able to bring Mohammed to West Ham,” Hammers boss David Moyes said.
“He’s a terrific young talent, who has already shone at the very highest level for Ajax in the Champions League and made well over 150 senior appearances at the age of 23.
“It was no surprise to see so many top clubs chasing his signature this summer.”
Arsenal and Chelsea were both interested in the player, as was Brighton earlier in the window.
ARSENAL STAR OFF TO SPAIN ON LOAN
Real Sociedad signed Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney on loan for the season on Sunday.
The 26-year-old Scotland international joined the Gunners from Celtic in 2019 but fell out of favour behind Oleksandr Zinchenko and new signing Jurrien Timber — who is now injured.
“Playing in the Champions League is an incentive for any footballer,” Tierney told Real Sociedad TV.
“(Playing in La Liga) is a change for me, but I was looking forward to it. I’m passionate about challenges and I’m thrilled to be here.”
