Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has hinted that his transfer to West Ham United failed to materialise due to financial reasons.
The Red Devils agreed a deal worth £30 million to sell Maguire to the Hammers this summer, but the centre-back did not join the London club.
Maguire was prepared to accept a pay-cut to sign for West Ham, but he wanted United to compensate for the same with a huge pay-off.
As a result, the move did not happen. United were happy to keep him while the Hammers decided to sign Konstantinos Mavropanos instead.
Speaking to Express, Maguire hinted that the deal broke down over the payment terms.
He said: “How can I put this? We just didn’t come to an agreement. They were happy for me to stay and I was happy to fight for my place. I want to do that and every time I train or play I will give everything.”
Meanwhile, the former United captain said that he is confident of playing plenty of games despite his limited role at the start of the season.
He added: “I know, at the moment, when I have not started a game in the first four games of the season, the story comes to me. I want to play games, I want to play football.”
“The first four weeks were hard because it was one game a week and the manager didn’t select me but we have lots of games coming up now and I am sure I will play lots of games.”
Maguire has had a difficult start to the season with United. He has played only 23 minutes of normal time. That came in the Arsenal defeat after Lisandro Martinez was substituted.
Martinez did not play any minute for Argentina in their recent World Cup qualifiers, and we should know more about his fitness in Ten Hag’s upcoming press conference.
If the World Cup winner is not 100 per cent fit, Maguire could partner Victor Lindelof in the heart of the defence against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon.
Raphael Varane continues to remain on the sidelines with an injury. The Frenchman could be another few weeks away from making his comeback to first-team action.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
