Aston Villa enters the chase for £170,000-a-week Manchester United star Harry Maguire, with his wages not a problem for Unai Emery’s team.
According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are vying to establish itself as a firm contender in the chase for Harry Maguire. The £170,000-a-week Manchester United star is out of favour under Erik ten Hag and could leave the club, while Villa will come into the window with a hefty budget to strengthen their squad.
Aston Villa will aim to continue on the progress made under Unai Emery following a stellar end to the season. From a relegation-threatened side at one stage of the season to qualifying for the Europa Conference League, the Midlands side have been tremendous under the Spaniard.
The club are prepared to back the manager in the transfer window as Emery seeks to strengthen his charges sufficiently. Key among those needed in the summer is a central defender, with Villa continuously linked with many names, including Villarreal’s Pau Torres.
Yet, the idea revolves around bringing someone with Premier League experience and pedigree to help them steady the ship in the league. Harry Maguire’s name has cropped up among those targets, with Aston Villa now firmly in the race for the £170,000-a-week Manchester United star.
The report suggests that Villa does not have a problem with his potential wage demands, particularly if Manchester United terminates his contract. That’s a scenario discussed recently, as the club would like to move on and bear the losses on the defender.
The £170,000-a-week Manchester United star’s wages have proved to complicate the case for several other suitors, including Tottenham and West Ham. Villa could have the upper hand if they make a concrete proposal directly to Maguire and then see how things transpire.
Spurs are looking to strengthen their defence ahead of next season. They want to bring in someone who is more reliable and have their eyes on Maguire. However, his wages are a concern for the London club.
Maguire brings tremendous experience and will undoubtedly improve this Villa squad, especially when playing in Europe. As for his time at Old Trafford, he has fallen out of favour under Erik ten Hag, and there seems no way back.
Ten Hag prefers Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez as his preferred starting central defensive partnership. The potential interest in Kim Min-jae indicates they no longer trust Maguire to do his work, and a move away may prove the best possible outcome.
Maguire would undoubtedly want to play at the highest level so he might not approve the Villa offer immediately. There might come a waiting period when the £170,000-a-week Manchester United star might ponder over the available options. In any case, Villa may not wait long, as they have other targets.
In hindsight, Maguire could prove a solid addition to Villa for their style under Emery. Whether they have the lure to pull the former Leicester man to the club remains the question, but the team under Emery are certainly going places.
