Former Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy is backing Spurs’ pursuit of Harry Maguire with the Manchester United misfit an upgrade on the likes of Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez.
You need only look at the remarkable job Ange Postecoglou did at Celtic – peeling the Hoops off the canvas following a humiliating season under Neil Lennon and guiding a revitalised crop of players to five trophies in two seasons – to imagine the sort of impact the gruff-voiced Aussie could have in his new Tottenham home.
Yes, Postecoglou benefitted from the inspired additions of Kyogo Furuhashi, Liel Abada, Reo Hatate and co north of the border. But the former Australia coach – who picked up his 21st trophy when beating Inverness in the Scottish Cup on Saturday – also had a transformative impact on the players he inherited when taking over from Lennon; Callum McGregor, Greg Taylor, Anthony Ralston, Tom Rogic and more playing the best football of their green-and-white careers.
Reports from The Telegraph and the Daily Mail suggesting that Harry Maguire could be one of Postecoglou’s first signings at Spurs have not exactly elicited a positive response from many of a Tottenham persuasion.
But if Postecoglou can emulate his Celtic success in the English capital, there is no reason why Maguire cannot become the latest player revived by his straight-talking methods.
Will Harry Maguire follow Ange Postecoglou to Tottenham?
“He is better than what they’ve got,” Murphy tells talkSPORT (7 June, 11am). “(Maguire) is experienced, he’s got a physical presence.
“He’s not better than (Cristian) Romero. Romero is the best one (at Spurs). But you’ve got Dier, Sanchez, Davies; he plays ahead of them.
“I like that deal.”
Maguire, who has an excellent relationship with Spurs’ wantaway skipper Harry Kane, could be available for around £40 million after starting only eight Premier League games under Erik ten Hag in 2022/23.
Murphy, meanwhile, believes that patience must be a virtue as Postecoglou looks to impart his own imprint on a Spurs side lacking an identity or a clear, coherent direction.
“What he’s got to do is not build a team for next season who is going to beat Manchester City to the title. He’s got to improve what he’s got, bit by bit,” Murphy adds.
“Piece by piece, make them better. If that’s three or four signings (now)…
“Make no mistake, some of those players who have been written off and ridiculed, you will see some of them in a different guise next season.”
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