Hammers Target Maguire. Will he revive his career?

• He is West Ham’s target this summer
• His transfer fee from Manchester United is reported to be about $19 million
• His play time at Man United has reduced and even lost his captaincy

Harry Maguire is an English professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Manchester United and he is West Ham’s target this summer after they failed to secure him last season.

Maguire’s playing time under Manchester United’s manager Eric ten Hag has reduced, to even losing the team’s captaincy and this has fueled speculations about his future at the club. Last season, the Hammers attempted to sign him but the move was not successful.

Last season, Maguire sustained a groin injury in a Champions League match with Bayern Munich that forced him to be out of several games including the much-anticipated Liverpool clash. 

He played a recent match between Liverpool when he came in as a substitute in the 71st minute, replacing Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Currently, Maguire’s playing time at Manchester United has been reduced.

Since Eric Ten Hag joined the club as their manager, there were new defenders brought in who would fit his system, contributing to less play time for the 31-year-old. In conclusion to this, Maguire is facing stiffer competition for a starting spot.

As the captain of the team, he often faced criticism and on-field struggles likely impacted his confidence, which could have been a main contributor to him losing the captaincy, although, with a new boss, he preferred to have his captain who would fit his style of play.

Despite his struggles with Manchester United, the defender has attracted West Ham’s attention since he is an experienced Premier League defender with a strong leadership presence. The Hammers’ current boss David Moyes was the defender boss at Manchester United and believes he can regain his form in a familiar system under his guidance.

Harry Maguire biography

Harry Maguire is an English professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Manchester United and the England national team. He has a sporting background that could have influenced his career.

Harry Maguire. Photo/beIN SPORTS

His career began at Sheffield United’s youth academy and he progressed through the ranks to their first team. After three seasons playing for them, he joined Hull City in the Championship though the club was relegated that season.

He then signed with Leicester City in the Premier League played a role in the club’s Europa League victory and became a regular starter for England, featuring in the 2018 World Cup and Nations League campaigns.

The following season, he was signed by Manchester United and thrived to be the captain of the club his form dipped in the season 2021-22 leading to criticism and loss of the captaincy under the current manager Erik Ten Hag.

Why did Maguire lose his captaincy?

Losing his captaincy could be a result of several factors. He struggled on the pitch in season 2021-22 and Manchester United’s overall performance was affected, with Maguire facing criticism for some individual errors.

In 2023, the club was under a new manager Eric ten Hag and he wanted to implement his own play style and leadership culture at the club. The criticism and on-field struggles likely impacted his confidence with the manager giving a position to a preferred person.

West Ham’s Continued Interest in Harry Maguire

The Hammers have shown interest in the defender in the previous seasons without success. Their interest could be based on several factors. First, their current manager David Moyes was Maguire’s manager at Manchester United. He believes that the defender can regain his form in a familiar system under his guidance.

Harry Maguire. Photo/The Times

Despite his recent struggles, he is an experienced defender in the Premier League with a strong leadership presence. West Ham might see him as someone who can solidify their backline and provide guidance to younger players.

With his reduced playing time and the captaincy loss, Manchester United might be willing to sell him for a lower price than his original transfer fees and West Ham could view this as an opportunity to acquire a proven Premier League player at a discount.