Transfer Centre

West Ham United eyeing loan move for Manchester United's Harry Maguire?

By Ben Knapton, Senior ReporterPublished: 17 January 2023 6:28 PM

West Ham eyeing loan move for Harry Maguire?

West Ham United reportedly hold an interest in signing out-of-favour Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire on loan this month.

West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing Manchester United captain Harry Maguire on loan.

The centre-back has fallen down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag, who has preferred Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane in the heart of defence this season.

Victor Lindelof is also competing for minutes in the heart of the backline, while Luke Shaw has been used as a makeshift centre-back in recent weeks to good effect.

Maguire has come under copious amounts of criticism for high-profile errors in a Man United shirt recently, but he retains possession of the armband and is under contract at Old Trafford until 2025 with the option of a further year.

However, the 29-year-old's lack of playing time has seen his future called into question, and according to The Mirror, West Ham could offer him an escape route this month.

Harry Maguire in action for England on September 23, 2022 © Reuters

The Hammers are at risk of losing Craig Dawson, who is supposedly wanted by Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Maguire has been identified as an ideal replacement.

The report adds that Man United are prepared to part ways with Maguire, but they are likely to wait until the summer before sanctioning the former Leicester City man's sale.

Maguire has made 15 appearances for Ten Hag's side in all competitions this season, but he has only started four Premier League games and one Europa League group-stage match.

The England international played the full 90 minutes of last week's EFL Cup quarter-final win over Charlton Athletic, but he was only brought off the bench for the final minute of Saturday's derby win over Manchester City.

Despite his struggles at club level, Maguire remains one of the first names on the teamsheet for England manager Gareth Southgate and impressed during England's run to the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup, starting every game in Qatar.

Harry Maguire in action for Manchester United on September 8, 2022 © Reuters

The defender has insisted that he will continue to fight for minutes in a Man United shirt, telling ESPN earlier this month: "It felt good, I played last week as well against Bournemouth.

"I was unfortunate in terms of when I come back from the World Cup, I had a bad illness, to be honest, and it knocked me back for one or two weeks.

"I feel good now. We have a lot of good centre halves at this club, there's a lot of competition for places and I'll keep fighting."

Since making the £80m switch from Leicester City in 2019, Maguire has registered seven goals and five assists in 159 appearances for the Red Devils in all competitions, but he is expected to be named on the bench for Wednesday's Premier League clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Victory for Ten Hag's side would see them leapfrog Man City into second in the table before the champions tackle Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday evening.