Harry Maguire | Signed

[Adnan]

The club seems like it's on the lookout for a dominant CB with experience who can come into a team which leaked far too many goals last season. Maguire fits the profile of that defender IMO. He's aerially very strong and is physically imposing at 6'4. He's very good on the ball and will make passes between the lines that we've quite frankly lacked for too long. He will quite simply be our best CB comfortably when you weigh up all his strengths. He isn't the quickest, but pairing him up with someone with good recovery pace will be the way forward IMO. Or alternatively, one of the fullbacks (AWB or Shaw) could tuck in to provide some insurance if a high line is deployed.

The price is high for sure but I don't care anymore. With AWB and Maguire added to the team, I feel we'll look a very good defensive unit. Get the deal done and move onto the next target.

 

[RkkMan]

So apparently the opening £70m bid was made with the purpose of making City walk away to avoid a bidding war with them if so I can see this happening for something close to £80m which would be outrageous

 

[Stobzilla]

We need a leader so badly.

 

[Inter Yer Nan]

I’m probably one of the people on here who’ve seen him the least. Still, I don’t understand the massive shitstorm in here.

Imo he’s a very good CB. Dominant in the air, decent passing, he’s got a cool head and is brave in braking trough lines with the ball at his feet. 70 is a lot, of course, but realistically we’d have to pay around that for a ready made upgrade in that position. He scores some goals during the season too.

I concur. I’ve generally been impressed by him. With him and Lindelof we won’t misplace too many passes out the back either.

70m is too much but it is what it is. I’d be fine with this signing. It’s a massive upgrade.

 

[sullydnl]

This mean no De ligt?

Of all the things that mean no De Ligt, this is but one.

 

[Lash]

The club seems like it's on the lookout for a dominant CB with experience who can come into a team which leaked far too many goals last season. Maguire fits the profile of that defender IMO. He's aerially very strong and is physically imposing at 6'4. He's very good on the ball and will make passes between the lines that we've quite frankly lacked for too long. He will quite simply be our best CB comfortably when you weigh up all his strengths. He isn't the quickest, but pairing him up with someone with good recovery pace will be the way forward IMO. Or alternatively, one of the fullbacks (AWB or Shaw) could tuck in to provide some insurance if a high line is deployed.

The price is high for sure but I don't care anymore. With AWB and Maguire added to the to the team, I feel we'll look a very good defensive unit. Get the deal done and move onto the next target.

I'm moving to this stance. Still can't wrap my head around it though.

 

[manunited1919]

Not happy at all imo. Defensively very overrated, he's like Van djik on the ball but without the actual defensive ability. Could very well turn out to be another Bailly.

What annoys me more though is that £70m should be going towards players like Sancho to upgrade our dire attack. That our front line next season will likely be Martial - Rashford - Lingard again will be the source of our troubles, not our backline, as it has been for the last 2-3 seasons.

This. Plus we also can’t rely on Matic for a full season, we need an already made CDM with high energy. If not, no defenders in the world will be good enough to keep out the easy goals, and certainly not Maguire.

 

[DRM]

What about a Maguire and smalling partnership? Or would people prefer to partner him with lindeloff ?

 

[Sandikan]

The club seems like it's on the lookout for a dominant CB with experience who can come into a team which leaked far too many goals last season. Maguire fits the profile of that defender IMO. He's aerially very strong and is physically imposing at 6'4. He's very good on the ball and will make passes between the lines that we've quite frankly lacked for too long. He will quite simply be our best CB comfortably when you weigh up all his strengths. He isn't the quickest, but pairing him up with someone with good recovery pace will be the way forward IMO. Or alternatively, one of the fullbacks (AWB or Shaw) could tuck in to provide some insurance if a high line is deployed.

The price is high for sure but I don't care anymore. With AWB and Maguire added to the to the team, I feel we'll look a very good defensive unit. Get the deal done and move onto the next target.

This. In hard for maguire as we've obviously decided he's quality and will be a long term mainstay. Big fee but should be a five year minimum key part of the defence.

With smalling, tuanzebe or even bailly next to him or like you say the full backs offering cover his one flaw should be covered

 

[laughtersassassin]

What about a Maguire and smalling partnership? Or would people prefer to partner him with lindeloff ?

Lindelof for me easily. Smalling isn't good enough at football to start for a team that wants to be at the top.

His inability to pass and even position his body to play quickly is detrimental to moving the ball out from the back.

 

[Infestissumam]

should have signed him last year, honestly ... but better late than never.

the money is crazy but we need him. Fans will point to Koulibaly and Alderweireld, but I doubt they'd be willing to come and Koulibaly would be ridiculously expensive himself. Maguire is both great in the air and with the ball at his feet, we desperately need a presence like him. Also league-proven and should be able to help us immediately. Hope it's wrapped up soon.

 

[RedRonaldo]

Let’s hope we won’t keep upping our bid. 70m for decent quality is mental.

 

[StrettyEnder07]

The funny thing about stats on the Caf is that posters love using them to back up their point but as soon as they are shown one that directly contradicts their point they say "yeah but stats means nothing anyway!"

To be fair you can always use some kind of stats to back up pretty much any argument, Pogba had his best season in about 8 years last year going by the stats but they cover up the fact that 9 of them were pens and all his goals/assists came mainly during a clutch of games in January/February, they fail to show that he went missing for 15/20 games last season.

Personally prefer to go by having watched Smalling for 6/7 years and having my own personal opinion that he has nowhere near the ariel presence of Maguire.

You want to disagree, crack on, fair enough, but won't be having stats cloud my judgement on Smalling, the man, along with Jones, is a woeful CB.

 

[RedorDead21]

This. In hard for maguire as we've obviously decided he's quality and will be a long term mainstay. Big fee but should be a five year minimum key part of the defence.

With smalling, tuanzebe or even bailly next to him or like you say the full backs offering cover his one flaw should be covered

It would mean our reported summer budget (bar selling players) gone on our defence. Popular opinion in here is more to come. Are people just as happy if no one significant can be moved on and that concludes our business?

 

[Sandikan]

Lindelof for me easily. Smalling isn't good enough at football to start for a team that wants to be at the top.

His inability to pass and even position his body to play quickly is detrimental to moving the ball out from the back.

You don't need two ball playing centre backs.
But i think you need more defensively than lindelof brings. Smalling out does him on a lot of attributes like heading, pace and tackling

 

[StrettyEnder07]

But its true. Smalling is one of the best in the air. Its his main attribute.

It's his only attribute, not saying he is not half decent in the air, but you give me a choice of having Maguire or Smalling marking say Harry Kane at a corner, 90% of fans would have Maguire ever time, stats or no stats.

 

[Smores]

Funny I think that too. Diop will cost less and has a higher ceiling.

A higher ceiling?

 

[Massive Spanner]

To be fair you can always use some kind of stats to back up pretty much any argument, Pogba had his best season in about 8 years last year going by the stats but they cover up the fact that 9 of them were pens and all his goals/assists came mainly during a clutch of games in January/February, they fail to show that he went missing for 15/20 games last season.

Personally prefer to go by having watched Smalling for 6/7 years and having my own personal opinion that he has nowhere near the ariel presence of Maguire.

You want to disagree, crack on, fair enough, but won't be having stats cloud my judgement on Smalling, the man, along with Jones, is a woeful CB.

I don't really disagree, though I think woeful is harsh for Smalling. He'd be a good mid-table player. But he's great in the air. Just like Fellaini is a woeful CM, but he's great in the air.

Mind you I think Smalling is far better than Jones but that's not saying much.

 

[RedDevil@84]

Straight from Wenger arsenal book.
Albeit overpriced

 

[roonster09]

It's his only attribute, not saying he is not half decent in the air, but you give me a choice of having Maguire or Smalling marking say Harry Kane at a corner, 90% of fans would have Maguire ever time, stats or no stats.

Smalling always dominated Harry Kane when we played Spurs.

 

[B20]

100 million.

he is no Franco Baresi for FFS

 

[Shark]

Let’s hope we won’t keep upping our bid. 70m for decent quality is mental.

Haven’t they rejected the bid?

 

[Cnaiür urs Skiötha]

Just read that Leicester think he is worth around 90m. Madness.

And agree with those of you saying we should concentrate on fixing our dire attack. Get in Bruno, a high quality CDM and an experienced RW and try to keep Pogba. That could lead to us playing watchable football again.

 

[Sandikan]

It would mean our reported summer budget (bar selling players) gone on our defence. Popular opinion in here is more to come. Are people just as happy if no one significant can be moved on and that concludes our business?

We've still got a month to go. Plus the 100m was made up by a journalist.

We had a heck of a lot of work to do but if we can upgrade centre back and right back plus add promise elsewhere we've made a great start. We were never adding 6 big names in one window

 

[ZLATAN9]

De Ligt is considerd the world's Number 1 CB. And he's to Juventus for 62m if we wanted to sign him Ajax would turn down 80m for him.

We always pay more for players we should stand our ground more.

 

[100]

We're fecked more than i originally thought if the footballing minds at the club are forced to pay 70m for Harry Maguire

 

[Barthez]

What is the point of having shed loads of money if you don’t use it? Does he make us better? Yes? Ok then buy him. I’m tired of being shite

This. It’s all relative when you compare against the millions of tv money, commercial sponsorship and woodys latest tractor or toothpaste deal!

 

[Scroto Baggins]

It's his only attribute, not saying he is not half decent in the air, but you give me a choice of having Maguire or Smalling marking say Harry Kane at a corner, 90% of fans would have Maguire ever time, stats or no stats.

As long as it's not Jones marking Kane Im fine. Seen enough of what happens in that scenario for one lifetime.

 

[BrianMcClair'sBarnet]

My feeling towards Maguire can be summed up with one word : Indifferent.

 

[Handré1990]

The club seems like it's on the lookout for a dominant CB with experience who can come into a team which leaked far too many goals last season. Maguire fits the profile of that defender IMO. He's aerially very strong and is physically imposing at 6'4. He's very good on the ball and will make passes between the lines that we've quite frankly lacked for too long. He will quite simply be our best CB comfortably when you weigh up all his strengths. He isn't the quickest, but pairing him up with someone with good recovery pace will be the way forward IMO. Or alternatively, one of the fullbacks (AWB or Shaw) could tuck in to provide some insurance if a high line is deployed.

The price is high for sure but I don't care anymore. With AWB and Maguire added to the team, I feel we'll look a very good defensive unit. Get the deal done and move onto the next target.

Sums it up for me as well. We can’t stand still while we wait for that one CB who’s WC and wants to join our ‘project’. Maguire along with AWB will do just fine. On a side note, Mourinho’s wishes finally come to fruition

 

[StrettyEnder07]

I don't really disagree, though I think woeful is harsh for Smalling. He'd be a good mid-table player. But he's great in the air. Just like Fellaini is a woeful CM, but he's great in the air.

Mind you I think Smalling is far better than Jones but that's not saying much.

Let's just say the sooner Man United move on from Smalling and Jones the sooner we can start thinking about title challenges and not finishing 6th, we are at that level due to the quality we have in the squad.

It can't a coinsidence that we often play with 2 DMC's to try and counter the exposure that our CB's constantly provide the opposition, woeful may be a bit harsh but he is not very good IMO.

Also, re the stats, how many wide men when putting balls into the box would try every time to avoid hitting Maguire, similar to Liverpool you would always try to avoid putting it where VVD is.

When opposition wide men put balls into the box against United, I don't think they are to fussed about missing out Smalling.

 

[sullydnl]

At this point it's clear whichever CB we sign will have doubts around them and cost too much. But we need a CB. So we probably need to swallow it, overpay for someone and move on.

If we get burned, we get burned. Stasis will kill us though.

 

[Yagami]

Yes! Get it done, Woody!

 

[Adnan]

This. In hard for maguire as we've obviously decided he's quality and will be a long term mainstay. Big fee but should be a five year minimum key part of the defence.

With smalling, tuanzebe or even bailly next to him or like you say the full backs offering cover his one flaw should be covered

Maguire will give us the option of having an extra midfielder in alot of games. Playing him in a highline and his ability on the ball will be quite telling, especially against teams who park the bus.

 

[Canagel]

To everyone saying why we didn't get him last year the club already let Mourinho buy 2 centre backs and both of them have question marks. Easy to understand why they didn't want to sanction a bigger move for 3rd one. If they're willing to pay money now it's for a new project. Very simple.

 

[StrettyEnder07]

Smalling always dominated Harry Kane when we played Spurs.

Jesus it was an example not to be taken literally.

Plus I can't recall Smalling doing to well at OT when Kane scored the header and Moura ran him inside out for the 3rd.

Or when Smalling gave Kane about 15 chances at Wembley and DDG pulled off a miracle performance but hey, whatever you say.

 

[StrettyEnder07]

As long as it's not Jones marking Kane Im fine. Seen enough of what happens in that scenario for one lifetime.

Haha you and me both mate, if people think Smalling is a top defender then fair enough, personally don't think we will ever get anywhere close to the top boys with him as our CB.

 

[davidmichael]

Harry Maguire: Manchester United bid £70m for Leicester City defender

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48839601

The BBC doesn’t say Leicester have rejected the bid, it says Maguire has let the Leicester board know if his wishes and would welcome the chance to step up to a higher level.

I think if we up our bid by another £5 million we’ll definitely get Maguire as that’ll equal the world record for a defender and I don’t see Leicester turning that down, I trust Simon Stone much much more than anyone on Sky Sports News so I believe Leicester are considering the bid rather than they’ve turned it down.

 

[AltiUn]

De Ligt is considerd the world's Number 1 CB. And he's to Juventus for 62m if we wanted to sign him Ajax would turn down 80m for him.

We always pay more for players we should stand our ground more.

No he bloody isn't.

 

[Scroto Baggins]

De Ligt is considerd the world's Number 1 CB. And he's to Juventus for 62m if we wanted to sign him Ajax would turn down 80m for him.

We always pay more for players we should stand our ground more.

I think you mean De Ligt has the potential to be the worlds number one CB.