2 Premier League clubs in race to sign 30-year-old Manchester United star - Reports
Premier League clubs Aston Villa and Newcastle United have entered the race to sign Manchester United captain Harry Maguire, according to Football Insider.
Maguire joined Manchester United from Leicester City for an astronomical sum of £80 million in 2019. The defender was made the club's captain within six months of his arrival. He also played 144 games across competitions in his first three seasons at Old Trafford.
However, the England international fell out of favor after Erik ten Hag took charge of the Red Devils ahead of the 2022-23 season. The tactician handed Maguire only 16 starts across competitions last term.
Hence, the centre-back faces an uncertain future in Manchester despite having a contract until 2025. According to the aforementioned source, Aston Villa and Newcastle are in the race to sign him.
It's worth noting that Tottenham Hotspur have also been credited with an interest in Maguire. The Daily Telegraph recently reported that Spurs could sign the Englishman in a ploy to keep Harry Kane at the club. The pair share a close relationship, having played 50 games together for the Three Lions.
Meanwhile, clubs abroad are also keeping tabs on the former Leicester star's situation, as per Football Insider.
There have been suggestions that Maguire is not keen to leave Old Trafford despite falling down the pecking order. However, he faces the risk of losing his starting place in the England national team for the 2024 UEFA European Championship if he doesn't play regularly.
Ten Hag preferred Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw over Maguire. The Dutchman is also keen to add another centre-back to his ranks this summer, which could see the Aston Villa and Newcastle target's playing time reduce further.
Manchester United target Kim Min-jae reach agreement with Bayern Munich
Napoli star Kim Min-jae is widely regarded as Manchester United's top defensive target this summer. However, Bayern Munich have stolen a march over the Red Devils in the race to sign the centre-back in recent days.
According to French journalist Santi Aouna, Kim has agreed personal terms with the Bundesliga champions. The Bavarians could soon trigger the £43 million release clause in the South Korean's contract, which is reportedly active between July 1-15. The defender would earn around £8.5 million a year at the Allianz Arena.
Manchester United, meanwhile, are now expected to turn their attention towards other targets. They are interested in AS Monaco centre-back Axel Disasi, as per French daily L'Equipe.
OGC Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo has been mooted as a potential option for the Red Devils. The Premier League giants have also held talks to sign Leeds United's Robin Koch.