Wolverhampton Wanderers have been linked with a Premier League star, as the transfer window opens to commence a busy summer at Molineux.
Julen Lopetegui will have to overcome financial hurdles due to the club’s FFP woes, however the Spaniard can remain hopeful in securing upgrades to his side despite potential constraints.
The latest link could provide Wolves with a firm upgrade in defence, as well as a replacement to a star linked to a move away.
What’s the latest on Harry Maguire to Wolves?
As reported by journalist Ben Jacobs (via The United Stand [41.03]), Wolves could emerge as a potential new club for Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire.
Jacobs claimed that the Midlands side could be a “dark horse” in the transfer saga regarding the 30-year-old’s future, with United keen to cash in.
Speaking to The United Stand, Jacobs noted that the potential sale of Max Kilman this summer could “open the possibility” of Wolves going for Maguire.
A FootballTransfers report from earlier this month stated that United would want a fee in the region of £35m for the defender.
What could Harry Maguire offer to Wolves?
Having been previously lauded as “dominant” by Red Devils boss Erik Ten Hag, Maguire has the capabilities to be one of the league’s top centre-backs as we have seen previously in his career.
At Old Trafford, the Englishman has hit a patch of stagnancy and is seemingly unable to escape a vicious cycle of poor performances and low confidence on the pitch.
On his day, the 30-year-old can pose as an assured and “dictating” figure at the heart of defence, as praised by Ten Hag this season.
The introduction of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane all but ended Maguire’s stay as one of United’s first-choice central defenders, and could now seek a new adventure away from Manchester to reinvent his career.
Wolves could be a perfect fit for the Englishman, particularly if Kilman is to depart amidst reports linking the centre-back to Tottenham Hotspur, with the United captain a shout for a strong, reliable and vastly experienced replacement.
The two are similar in their abilities at the back and are compared to each other based on statistics gathered over the past year via FBref.
The 6 foot 4 commander provides better aerial coverage than Kilman, averaging 3.01 aerials won per 90 to the Wolves ace’s 2.34 as well as making an average of 1.03 tackles to his 0.98 per 90, showing that he could fill the gap potentially left by the Spurs target at Molineux.
Despite making just eight starts in the league this season, Maguire has maintained an impressive average rate of passing with percentages higher than Kilman, as per Sofascore.
The £200k-per-week England international has maintained an average passing accuracy of 85% per game, with a stellar 94% accuracy rate of passes in his own half, with the 26-year-old averaging 83% per game and 90% accuracy in his own half.
Lopetegui could capture the signature of an established Premier League defender, as well as a centre-back experienced at international level with 55 caps for his country, proving that he is a trusted option in defence.
With his future still uncertain at Old Trafford, only time will tell if the United captain opts for a move away from the Red Devils.