West Ham United’s opening bid worth £20 million for Harry Maguire has fallen on Manchester United’s deaf ears.
According to The Athletic, United’s rejection could deter David Moyes from making another approach for the 30-year-old defender, given their concerns over the player’s hefty wages.
Maguire has tumbled down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag and was only recently stripped of the club’s captaincy following a string of underwhelming performances over the past couple of seasons.
His future at Old Trafford is in limbo as Bruno Fernandes’ appointment as the new skipper clarified the Dutch manager’s stance on the Englishman’s first-team prospects.
Despite his less favourable status at Man United, the former Leicester City man isn’t overly enthusiastic about leaving the club, even though his chances of making Gareth Southgate’s England squad could dwindle.
Southgate informed Maguire last month that his unexisting playing time at the Theatre of Dreams could throw his international career into a corridor of doubt ahead of next summer’s European Championship.
Regardless of his perennial struggle at the Red Devils, the former United captain has been an always-present figure on the national team, but that could change next season.
A potential move to West Ham could help the troubled centre-back reignite his club career and return to the Three Lions gaffer’s good grace for the upcoming tournament.
Man United cannot recoup a staggering £80m fee they poured into Leicester’s bank account to sign Maguire in 2019, yet they won’t let the Hammers pay pennies for their out-of-favour man.
West Ham will take some time to re-evaluate their options and decide whether to return with an improved offer or switch to other less expensive targets.
They are eager to put the money earned from Declan Rice’s record-breaking move to Arsenal back into the market, but they have nothing to show for it yet, despite courting numerous Premier League stars.
With Maguire having two more years left to run on his contract at Man United, it may take double West Ham’s initial bid to persuade the Red Devils to sanction the sale.
