Manchester United's Harry Maguire. (REUTERS)
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) are reportedly ‘monitoring’ Harry Maguire ahead of a potential Newcastle United move.
The Lowdown: Centre-back wanted
It has recently been reported that Newcastle are targeting a move for Southampton central defender Mohammed Salisu this summer, as they looked to bring a new centre-back in order to bolster their options.
There have been reports that Jamaal Lascelles is set to leave the North East, which would leave Eddie Howe with just three senior centre-half options, while Dan Burn has mainly been operating as a left-back this season.
The Latest: Maguire monitored
Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey says that the St. James’ Park outfit are ‘monitoring’ Maguire’s situation at Manchester United ahead of a potential move this summer.
The Red Devils would prefer a permanent sale, but a loan deal may be considered if it means that the club take on his wages, and it could lead to a permanent transfer.
The Verdict: Smart move?
Maguire has received plenty of criticism for his performances over the last couple of years, but has shown recent signs of finding some form, with Erik ten Hag hailing his ‘dominating‘ display in the 3-1 win at home to West Ham United in the FA Cup this month.
Once nicknamed ‘the Beast‘ by his former United team-mate Paul Pogba, the six-foot-four colossus still possesses plenty of strengths, ranking in the top 20% of all central defenders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for a number of key metrics.
One potential stumbling block would be his £190,000-per-week wages, which would make him the highest-paid player at the Magpies by far, and so they would need to try and negotiate that down if they were to sign him on loan for next term, and then on a permanent basis.
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