Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Manchester United captain Harry Maguire in an audacious swap deal involving Christian Pulisic.
Chelsea have made a shock enquiry for Manchester United defender Harry Maguire’s availability amid growing concerns around his future at Old Trafford. That is according to Daily Mail, which claims the Blues are keen on signing the Red Devils’ skipper as part of an audacious swap deal with Manchester United that could see Christian Pulisic head in the opposite direction.
Chelsea have been hunting for another central defender to join Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly at the back. But priority target Wesley Fofana has proven to be out of reach as Leicester City continue to stand their ground on their valuation for the French defender. Fofana has been the subject of two bids from Chelsea.
But both offers have been rejected, and no fresh bid has arrived as of yet despite claims that the Frenchman has agreed on personal terms with the Blues. Throw in the fact that Brendan Rodgers has constantly stated that Fofana is “not for sale” and still expects the Frenchman to be at the club next month, and it is easy to see why Chelsea are scouring the market for alternatives.
However, Chelsea’s interest in Maguire comes as a complete surprise given the club’s hectic business in the summer transfer market. The 29-year-old endured a miserable 2021/22 season, thanks to a slew of high-profile errors. The Manchester United captain has faced plenty of criticism for his lack of mobility, leadership qualities, and positional awareness in recent times.
And while Maguire has kept the captain’s armband under new manager Erik ten Hag, he has started the new season in horrendous form, as he was partly to blame for the humiliating 4-0 loss to Brentford last weekend, while he was below-par in the 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the season opener as well.
As a result, it has been widely reported that Maguire will be dropped for Manchester United’s next game when fierce rivals Liverpool visit Old Trafford on Monday night, with Raphael Varane pushing for a starting berth after sitting on the bench during Manchester United’s woeful start to the campaign.
If he loses his starting spot under ten Hag, the notion of playing a second-fiddle role at Manchester United only months before England’s 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign in Qatar is likely to concern Maguire, who will be tempted by a move to Chelsea as a pathway to relaunch his flailing football career.
Chelsea are keen to discuss a potential swap deal with Manchester United for Maguire, with Christian Pulisic going the other way. The USMNT forward is being considered as an alternative to costly options such as Ajax’s Antony. PSV Eindhoven’s Cody Gakpo is another player on their radar as they attempt to reinforce their attack before the window closes.
Like Maguire, the former Borussia Dortmund star is willing to leave his club in search of more first-team opportunities and has shown an interest in moving to Old Trafford. It remains to be seen whether a Pulisic-Maguire swap trade will happen between Chelsea and Manchester United.
