Manchester United are set to enter the transfer market to sign a new centre-back following the completion of Harry Maguire’s £30m move to West Ham, 90min understands.
Maguire is in discussions over a move to east London after being made available for transfer this summer by Erik ten Hag, who has already stripped the 30-year-old of the United captaincy. Maguire had initially wanted to stay and fight for his place but is now likely to proceed with his Old Trafford departure after talks between the clubs progressed this week.
The England international arrived in 2019 for £80m, a world record transfer fee for a defender, but has suffered a difficult four years under successive managers Ten Hag, Ralf Rangnick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He has lost his place entirely in the team under the Dutchman, who has not deemed Maguire suitable to execute the style of football he’d like to implement in Manchester.
It had been part of Ten Hag’s long-term plan to phase out and replace Maguire, despite his public suggestions otherwise, and now his departure is nearing completion, United are exploring names to replace his position in the squad.
They have been offered Benjamin Pavard, a French World Cup winner who has been looking to leave Bayern Munich for the duration of the summer. He would carry the added bonus of being able to cover at right-back should he swap southern Germany for north west England. Bayern are open to letting Pavard leave and he’d likely cost United in the region of what they’d receive for Maguire.
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Nice centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo is a younger alternative at a similar price under consideration, while Liverpool target Perr Schuurs, now of Torino but formerly of Ten Hag’s Ajax, is also liked behind the scenes. Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite is another central defender United have been following.
Edmond Tapsoba, a Tottenham target who plays for Bayer Leverkusen, represents a more expensive option if United choose to go down that route, though it remains to be seen at present how much they are prepared to outlay and how ambitious they’d like to be with their replacement. Benfica’s Antonio Silva is understood to be loved by club scouts but potentially the most expensive of those named.
The club are looking to raise funds through the sales of a number of squad players – not just that of Maguire – and are close to moving Fred out of Old Trafford, with several parties interested in the Brazilian. Donny van de Beek is also set to depart for Real Sociedad in the coming weeks, with United pushing for a permanent deal, while Scott McTominay is still of interest to West Ham, who are now threatened by interest from Manchester City in Lucas Paqueta.
Talks over Dean Henderson’s transfer to Nottingham Forest are expected to conclude before the transfer window closes while United are also “very hopeful” Eric Bailly’s departure will be resolved soon, clearing space on the wage bill. The Ivorian was close to joining Saudi club Al Nassr, but Turkish outfit Besiktas have made a verbal offer which has not yet been formalised.
LISTEN TO 90MIN’S MAN UTD PODCAST: THE PROMISED LAND
On this edition of The Promised Land, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders and Rob Blanchette talk about Jean-Clair Todibo potentially replacing Harry Maguire, as well as views on Scott McTominay, Fred, Dean Henderson and Donny van de Beek. If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!
