da apostebet： Manchester United defender Harry Maguire will want to "stay and fight for his place" in Erik ten Hag's team, but fans should "keep an eye on Chelsea" as the Blues' need for defensive cover could facilitate a move.
Is Harry Maguire joining Chelsea?
da prosport bet： It has been a fantastic transfer window for the West Londoners this summer; not only have the club cleared out practically an entire squad of players they no longer want, but they have also completed the signings of several promising youngsters like Nicolas Jackson and Diego Moreira.
That said, not everything has gone their way, with the recent confirmation that young defender Wesley Fofana will likely miss a large portion of the season after he required surgery following an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
This development has left the Blues looking somewhat light in defence, with only Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile, and the ageing Thiago Silva ready to play come the season's first game.
Unsurprisingly, the club have started to look for reinforcements for the position, with the Sun reporting earlier this week that England international Maguire is a player they're considering following his 'shock' that he was removed as United's captain.
That said, there is still every chance the former Leicester City star will want to remain and fight for his place at Old Trafford, but anything could happen from here, per journalist Alex Crook.
He explained the situation live on air, which was posted to TalkSPORT's YouTube channel, saying:
"I don't think it's a given that he leaves Manchester United. I think there is still part of him that wants to stay and fight for his place, but just keep an eye on Chelsea. He was linked with them a year ago, I think they are paying close attention to the situation. Obviously, they lost Fofana to another serious injury, so they're pretty short on defensive cover.
"I think it would have to be a permanent deal. I don't necessarily see a situation where Manchester United would loan Maguire to Chelsea because they could be competing for the same goals next season."
Would Harry Maguire be a good signing?
There is no getting around the fact that the last few years at United have been poor for Maguire and that the removal of the captaincy looks to be the closing of that chapter in his career, but would he be able to rediscover his best form at Stamford Bridge under Mauricio Pochettino?
According to WhoScored, Maguire has only achieved a season rating of over seven in two of his four years at United, with both of those coming in his first two campaigns with the club. In the years after, he has only managed an average of 6.59 and 6.65.
However, during his time with the Foxes in the top flight, he was able to average a rating of 7.01 and 7.08, suggesting that within the right setup, he can be a consistently good performer at this level.
His underlying numbers help to show that he likely isn't as bad a player as recent narratives have come to suggest either.
According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the 6 foot 4 titan sits in the top 11% for blocks, the top 12% for aerial duals won, the top 13% for touches in the opposition's penalty area, the top 17% for attempted passes, and the top 19% for progressive carries, all per 90.
It seems only fair to consider the Sheffield-born "colossus'" performances in an England shirt as well.
Despite falling out of favour with ten Hag, Gareth Southgate has always stuck by his centreback, and it's easy to understand why.
In the last World Cup, he was voted in as one of the starting defenders in Sky Sports' team of the tournament, and he was also picked for the official team of the tournament for Euro 2020.
It may not be a glamorous signing, or one that's even popular with the fans, but if it's at the right price, Maguire could be a great option to help Chelsea with their lack of defensive options.