The centre-back has been every bit as impressive as Michael Keane and Ben Gibson but could cost Newcastle United half as much.
Rafael Benitez wants a leader in his back line after a series of wobbly defensive performances, The Sun reports, with Hull City’s hulking centre-back Harry Maguire the man he has identified to ease Newcastle United’s transition back into the Premier League next season.
And with good reason. The 23-year-old has been in inspired form since Marco Silva took charge at the KCom Stadium and former Arsenal defender Martin Keown went as far as to describe his performance in Hull’s 2-0 defeat at Chelsea as one of the best individual performances he had seen all season, broadcast on Match of the Day 2, BBC One at 22:30, Sunday 22 January.
Nonetheless, The Sun reports that Newcastle may only have to pay £12 million for the 24-year-old’s services. And, with the monstrous fees flying round for homegrown talents, you get the feeling that the Magpies should waste no time signing the cheque.
A number of shaky recent displays by captain Jamaal Lascelles, coupled with the fact that centre-back partner Ciaran Clark endured a horrific campaign in his last spell in the Premier League in Aston Villa’s relegation season, means few Newcastle fans would argue against the addition of a defender proven in the top flight.
Yet with The Sun claiming that Everton have been quoted £20 million for Michael Keane (below) and the same publication reporting that Middlesbrough have slapped a £35 million price tag on Ben Gibson – two defenders very similar to Maguire in terms of ability – Newcastle could be on the verge of a very rare event; that is signing a young, homegrown talent for a not-so-obscene fee.
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