Three major Serie A clubs have converged on Harry Maguire, it has been revealed, while Manchester United have landed on a brilliant replacement.
Maguire has had a great comeback at Man Utd. Initially ridiculed for costing the club £80million in August 2019, he was then stripped of the captaincy by former manager Erik ten Hag in July 2023.
A lot of players would have either lost faith or pushed for a transfer away from Old Trafford. But Maguire worked hard and impressed Ten Hag’s replacement, Ruben Amorim.
The centre-back has seemingly earned cult hero status at United as he rarely starts games but still pops up with winning goals, most notably against Liverpool and Lyon.
Maguire’s contract expires at the end of the season, and it was thought back in November that an extension would be agreed. But a lot has happened since then, with Amorim getting sacked and Michael Carrick arriving as his temporary replacement.
Amid uncertainty over who United’s next permanent manager will be, clubs have sensed an opportunity to pounce for Maguire.
Italian journalist Marco Conterio, who works for Tuttomercatoweb and Radio Sportiva, has stated that the Englishman ‘could land in Serie A in January’.
His profile has emerged ‘on the table of big clubs’ in Italy. Many teams are ‘actively evaluating his profile’, most notably Inter Milan, Napoli and Fiorentina.
Maguire has ‘opened up to a transfer to Italy’. He could reignite his career by following in the footsteps of ex-United players such as Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund.
Italian clubs see Maguire as a great opportunity to get an experienced defender for a small transfer fee. Given the 32-year-old’s contract situation, January represents United’s last chance to recoup money on him.
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Harry Maguire replacement emerges
INEOS seem to be preparing for life without Maguire, as it emerged earlier on Friday that they are planning a £70m move for Nottingham Forest centre-half Murillo.
United view the Brazilian as a top-quality upgrade for Maguire. In more good news for United fans, Murillo is ready to ‘pursue a bigger challenge away from Forest’ this summer.
The report adds that Murillo will only stay at Forest if they qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League, which looks a tall order.
Of course, United are not guaranteed to make next season’s Champions League, though Murillo will see them as an obvious step up given their history and stature.
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