Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Aston Villa 'considering formal bid for Manchester United defender Harry Maguire'

sportsmole.co.uk, 8 June 2023, 08:17
Aston Villa have reportedly identified Manchester United defender Harry Maguire as a potential summer transfer target.

The centre-back has spent the last four years at Old Trafford, chipping in with seven goals from his 175 appearances in all competitions.

However, since featuring in every Premier League fixture during 2019-20, Maguire's involvement in the top flight has dropped each year, particularly during the last campaign.

The 30-year-old was restricted to just eight starts and eight substitute outings, falling down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag and often seeing left-back Luke Shaw preferred to him in the middle.

United do not necessarily have to be in a rush to sell Maguire courtesy of him having two years left on his contract and the club possessing the option of extending those terms by a further 12 months.

Nevertheless, Ten Hag has already publicly acknowledged that Maguire is unhappy with his current situation and must decide whether he wants to remain at the Theatre of Dreams or look for a move elsewhere.

Earlier this week, it was suggested that Tottenham Hotspur were monitoring the situation, with new head coach Ange Postecoglou needing to make significant changes to a backline that conceded 63 league goals during 2023.

According to Football Insider, Spurs may face competition from Villa who are looking to take advantage of their qualification for Europe.

On the final day of the season, Villa defeated Brighton & Hove Albion to ensure that Spurs missed out on continental football for next season, and Unai Emery is now expected to back that up with some high-profile additions.

Manchester City's Aymeric Laporte and Villarreal's Pau Torres allegedly both feature on the Spaniard's shortlist, yet so may Maguire with the club having been linked with the England international in January.

The report indicates that Villa are better equipped to handle Maguire's wage demands than Spurs, as well as West Ham United who were crowned as Europa Conference League winners on Wednesday night.

In Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Diego Carlos, Emery already has three players who are genuine contenders to start in the middle of defence on a regular basis.

Nevertheless, with Calum Chambers only a fringe member and a possible consideration for backup at right-back, a fresh face for the centre is seemingly on Emery's priority list.

Top News

3 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have announced that Aaron Anselmino has been recalled from his loan spell at Boca Juniors. 3 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly identified a Premier League goalkeeper as a potential January transfer target. 3 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly had no contact with AC Milan over a move for striker Darwin Nunez in the January transfer window. 3 January 2025 talksport.com It's 2025, which means the January transfer window is open, but the clock is already ticking as teams look to strengthen their squads. 3 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk After both ended 2024 with four straight Serie A defeats, relegation rivals Monza and Cagliari will vie for victory in their year-opening fixture on Sunday. 3 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United outcast Marcus Rashford is reportedly holding out for a 'dream' transfer to a European giant after turning down three approaches from Saudi Pro League clubs. 3 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The transfer window is open! Clubs around the UK and Europe have one final chance to strengthen their squads for the second half of the season. 3 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Caykur Rizespor vs. Besiktas (Friday, 5.00pm) Besiktas square off against Caykur Rizespor on Friday evening looking for the win that would move the club into fourth place in the Super Lig table. 3 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Pontevedra vs. Mallorca (Friday, 6.00pm) Mallorca will be aiming to book their spot in the last-16 stage of the Copa del Rey when they tackle Pontevedra CF on Friday evening. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly joined the race to sign AC Milan defender and ex-Chelsea man Fikayo Tomori as Ange Postecoglou seeks solutions to his side's defensive crisis. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Having endured a rough end to 2024, Moreirense and AVS will both be hopeful of improved fortunes in the new year as they kick off 2025 with a meeting at Parque de Jogos Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas on Saturday. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are supposedly giving consideration to an audacious swap deal involving wantaway striker Marcus Rashford and Napoli frontman Victor Osimhen. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has reportedly made two demands of the Reds if he is to snub Real Madrid and sign a new deal at Anfield. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Lyon and Montpellier HSC lock horns for the 60th time in Ligue 1 on Saturday, with the hosts seeking a 30th win against their upcoming opponents. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Preston North End are set to welcome Oxford United on Saturday to Deepdale in their 26th Championship game of the season. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford manager Thomas Frank remains without three of his first-choice central defenders ahead of their trip to Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Benfica and Braga are in action for the first time in the new year when they go head to head at the Estadio da Luz in round 17 of the Primeira Liga on Saturday. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk If Fulham are to lose Andreas Pereira either this month or in the summer transfer window amid links with Marseille, the Cottagers could take a quick look across the English capital for a natural replacement for the Brazilian. 2 January 2025 talksport.com Real Madrid Carlo Ancelotti has kept his cards close to his chest regarding the club's pursuit of Liverpool ace Trent Alexander-Arnold. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The only team yet to taste defeat in the Turkish Super Lig, Galatasaray, will welcome one of the season's surprise packages, Goztepe SK, to Rams Park on Saturday in what promises to be an intriguing encounter. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Two sides at opposite ends of the Turkish Super Lig table will go head-to-head when Samsunspor welcome Trabzonspor to the Samsun 19 May Stadium on Saturday. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid will be aiming to move to the top of the La Liga table when they head to Valencia on Friday night. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee has reportedly fallen out with Red Devils head coach Ruben Amorim, with the Dutchman moving closer to the exit door at Old Trafford. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has addressed suggestions that his club could make a second offer for Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold before the end of the January transfer window. 2 January 2025 talksport.com Ashley Cole has opened up about the painful circumstances surrounding his controversial departure from Arsenal in 2006. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Enzo Maresca is set to recall the five players who dropped out of his Chelsea side at Ipswich Town last week when they travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on Saturday in the Premier League. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi will return to face his former club Chelsea when the two lock horns at Selhurst Park in the Premier League on Saturday. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has reportedly rejected three offers worth in the region of £35m a year to leave Old Trafford. 2 January 2025 talksport.com A cheeky grin from Arsenal star Gabriel Magalhaes was all it took to rub further salt into Tottenham's gaping wounds. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Wojciech Szczesny is in line to make his debut for Barcelona in Saturday's Copa del Rey last-32 clash with Barbastro.