West Ham have agreed a deal with Manchester United for Harry Maguire with former Premier League midfielder Danny Murphy insisting that this is a ‘terrific move’ for the much-maligned England international.
Considering that David Moyes coaxed career-best performances out of fellow centre-halves Kurt Zouma, Angelo Ogbonna and Craig ‘Ballon D’orson’ at West Ham, Harry Maguire might just find himself in the right place to kick-start his stalling top-flight career.
According to talkSPORT, the Hammers have agreed a £30 million fee for the former Manchester United captain.
Maguire, despite initially hoping to force his way into Erik ten Hag’s plans, now appears to have accepted that he is fighting a losing battle at Old Trafford. He is now open to joining West Ham instead; a mistake which led immediately to an Athletic Bilbao goal in Sunday’s Dublin friendly a rather fitting departure for a man who has spent much of the summer facing boos from his own so-called ‘supporters’.
Harry Maguire heading to West Ham
“I think he needs a fresh challenge with his experience and quality,” Murphy, the one-time Liverpool and Tottenham playmaker, tells talkSPORT (9 August, 10am).
“It’s a terrific move for West Ham. It improves them. Some supporters will think ‘we’ve got a guy low on confidence, who has struggled’. But he’s got great resilience. He maintained his place in the England side because of his resilience.
“Playing under less pressure when he is going to be one of the leaders… He’s got a wonderful opportunity to show everyone how good he is again.
“I think it’s a really good move.”
Hammers boss Moyes is a long-time admirer of Maguire, having admitted to keeping an eye on the then-Sheffield United youngster during his short-lived spell in the Man United dugout a decade ago. 30-year-old Maguire, meanwhile, could thrive under a coach who demands more a traditional approach from his centre-halves.
Maguire, at West Ham, should be tasked with doing what he does best; defending his own penalty area, and using his physicality to deal with balls into the box.
The Conference League winners are also keen on Maguire’s Old Trafford team-mate Scott McTominay. But they appear more likely to bring in Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse and Ajax ace Edson Alvarez instead.
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