In the latest football buzz, Chelsea seems to be steering clear of any plans to acquire the services of Harry Maguire, the Manchester United center-back, despite swirling speculations about a potential move to Stamford Bridge.
The 30-year-old player was recently stripped of his captaincy at Old Trafford and is now widely expected to depart the club before the transfer window closes, all in search of more consistent playing time elsewhere.
West Ham United have been strongly linked with Maguire, but it appears they are presently only exploring the possibility of a loan deal for the seasoned defender.
On the other hand, Chelsea was also rumored to be considering a bid for the former Sheffield United prodigy during the summer market, as per a recent report. However, authoritative sources from The Guardian have revealed that Mauricio Pochettino’s side is not actively contemplating such a move for Maguire at this moment, even though they are in need of at least one center-back.
Instead, the Blues seem to have their sights set on another candidate – former Chelsea youngster Marc Guehi, currently showcasing his skills at Crystal Palace. With central defender Wesley Fofana facing an extended period on the sidelines due to a serious knee injury and Kalidou Koulibaly’s departure to Al-Hilal this summer, Pochettino’s team is eager to reinforce their backline options.
In light of the recent developments, there’s a lot of anticipation around the potential reshuffling at Stamford Bridge. Trevoh Chalobah is also being linked with a possible move away from Chelsea, with Inter Milan reportedly showing interest in acquiring the talented defender before the transfer window shuts.
Adding fuel to the fire, former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has weighed in, urging Maguire to make his exit from Old Trafford this summer. Rooney asserts that the defender no longer enjoys the full support of head coach Erik ten Hag, making a move away from the club the best option for him.
Maguire’s playing time has been limited in the past season, with him featuring in only eight Premier League matches throughout the 2022-23 campaign. Ahead of him in the pecking order were Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, and Victor Lindelof, with even Luke Shaw being preferred in the central defense when Varane and Martinez were unavailable due to injury.
Despite the interest in Maguire, his recent pay rise in his Manchester United contract might make it challenging for the club to offload him permanently. As the transfer window continues, all eyes are on the Englishman and where he will end up.
As for Chelsea and their preparations for the upcoming 2023-24 season, they kicked things off with a resounding 5-0 victory against Wrexham, a League Two outfit, on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Manchester United is currently on their pre-season tour of the United States and will lock horns with Arsenal in their opening match on Saturday night.