West Ham United are not done with their stuttering pursuit of Manchester United outcast Harry Maguire despite a failed opening bid.
According to Sky Sports, the Hammers have pieced together an improved £30 million offer for the 30-year-old after seeing their initial £20m approach rejected.
Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag has stripped the England international of the club’s captaincy in favour of Bruno Fernandes, putting him up for sale following another disappointing season.
Little did United know Maguire would become one of the club’s worst-ever signings when they made him the most expensive defender in football history in 2019.
Four years since pouring £75m into Leicester City’s coffers, the three-time European champions hope to sell their troubled defender for half that figure, but it’s easier said than done.
United’s best hope of partially recouping their investment was to drum up interest from loaded Saudi Arabia clubs. However, it wasn’t meant to be despite the Gulf state’s lavish summer spending.
Time is ticking, pressuring Man United to soften their stance, which could help West Ham capture Maguire’s signature on favourable terms late in the summer.
Aware of the centre-back’s struggle at Old Trafford, they won’t break the bank to make the deal happen, although Moyes wants to give the Englishman a chance to reignite his career in London.
Maguire may not be the only out-of-favour United star to be offered an opportunity to get his faltering career back on track.
Scott McTominay has also attracted interest from West Ham.
The 26-year-old is no longer part of Ten Hag’s plans and will be allowed to leave Manchester after 21 years to accommodate the arrival of a new central midfielder.
West Ham are willing to provide the Theatre of Dreams’ homegrown product with an escape route to replace Declan Rice.
Despite earning a small fortune from the 24-year-old’s record-breaking move to Arsenal, the Hammers have struggled to find a replacement.
With Man United open to selling McTominay, Moyes’ relentless quest to replace the club’s best player could soon come to fruition.
