Manchester United “reject Barcelona’s IMPOSSIBLE attempt to lure Harry Maguire to the Camp Nou as part of the deal with Frenkie de Jong … with Erik ten Hag willing to keep English at Old Trafford”
- Manchester United have refused to allow Barcelona to sign Harry Maguire
- Barcelona has tried to include the center in the agreement of Frenkie de Jong
- United are advancing in talks over a deal for Dutch midfielder Jong
- New boss Erik ten Hag wants Maguire to be part of his team at Old Trafford
De Jeorge Bird for Mailonline
Posted: 23:25, 26 June 2022 | Updated: 00:19, June 27, 2022
Manchester United have rejected Barcelona’s attempt to sign captain Harry Maguire as part of a deal with Frenkie de Jong.
United is advancing talks on a deal for De Jong, with a £ 55million fee that has been discussed plus bonuses that could rise to around £ 68m.
According to The Sun, Barcelona tried to sign Maguire as part of the deal, but United’s new coach, Erik ten Hag, wants to keep the center.
Manchester United have rejected Barcelona’s attempt to sign defender Harry Maguire
Barcelona sought to include Maguire in the agreement of Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong
De Jong is considered Ten Hag’s top priority in this transfer window, as the couple had previously worked together at Ajax.
United’s midfield needs a revision and it is considered that De Jong could have a major impact in getting the team to function as a more cohesive unit.
Clearly United need reinforcements in midfield in any case, with Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard all leaving the club.
United’s new coach, Erik ten Hag, wants Maguire to be part of his squad for this season
Barcelona coach Xavi is looking for a new center-back, especially with Gerard Piqué prone to injury and Samuel Umtiti probably leaving. They can already turn to people like Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia and Clement Lenglet, but they were eager to incorporate Maguire.
Given his tendency to go ahead with the ball at times, Maguire could have adapted to Barcelona’s style of play.
Maguire received a lot of criticism last season, as United endured an unfortunate campaign that ended them in sixth place in the Premier League.
Barcelona coach Xavi was hoping to sign Maguire, but United did not let him go
There were many occasions when Maguire’s hesitation or unfortunate positioning proved detrimental to United’s cause.
However, the 29-year-old wants to stay at United and prove to ten Hag that he can be a reliable performer.
Having previously played for Sheffield United and Hull City, Maguire became the most expensive defender in the world when he joined United from Leicester for £ 80 million in 2019.
Maguire is determined to impress United after some disappointing performances
He has made 144 appearances for United, but has not won any silver, with his performances often inconsistent.
Despite frequent criticism of him, Maguire remains a prominent player for United and also for England, as he maintains the support of Gareth Southgate.
Maguire has often performed at a higher level for his country and has been selected 46 times by the Three Lions. It looks like he will be part of the team heading to Qatar for this year’s World Cup.