West Ham are worried that their move for Harry Maguire may collapse amid an ‘issue’ the player has with Manchester United, according to reports.
The Hammers have agreed a £30m deal with United to sign the England international but the east Londoners are growing increasingly frustrated that the deal is dragging out, with the new Premier League season already underway.
According to The Telegraph, West Ham are now even looking at alternative defensive targets in case Maguire stays at Old Trafford this summer.
They report that the unnamed ‘issue’ is between Maguire and United – and does not involve West Ham.
United manager Erik ten Hag has told Maguire he must fight for his place or leave.
Maguire is currently behind Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof in the pecking order while Ten Hag even deployed left-back Luke Shaw in central defence last term instead of picking the 30-year-old.
‘We don’t have the squad with 11 players, last year proved definitely we need all the players so you need some high level players who are maybe not starting but that can change so there is an internal competition, everyone has to fight for his place,’ Ten Hag said on Sunday.
‘Every player when they were good, they will get their games but no one can play all the games and finally you find out what is the best team.
‘In the squad now, all the positions are double and every player has the perspective to fight for his place. It is up to the players if they have game time or less.
‘For Harry, that is just how I described it. He has to fight for his place. He has the ability to be first choice centre-back, he is the best for England so why shouldn’t he be the best for us — he has to prove it. When he is not confident enough to fight then he has to make a decision and go.’
