Maguire has been playing more games in his professional career than Ake himself in both country & clubs. It’s not about how many but it’s about you want to play from the back by playing the ball forward is what you are called a ball playing centre back not someone who stays safe and coward. Clearances aren‘t considered as passing mate, they have their own numbers for clearances.
So it’s your turn now to explain.
What evidence do you have to say that we need midfielder more than a centre back?
What evidence do you have to even say James is just pace merchant?
What evidence do you have Lindelof-Smalling paired and signing midfield will be better than our current situation?
Ake has more games in the EPL if I'm not mistaken, or roughly the same? Played more games compared to Maguire age at a higher level... I would not say that Maguire is any more proven than Ake. And if we argue about their abilities I suspect we again will be in a disagreement.
Midfielder over centreback:
Options for CB: Smalling, Lindelof, Jones, Bailly, Rojo, Tuanzebe.
Options for Midfield(2/3): PP, McT, Fred, Matic (Pereira)
Just in numbers, there is a difference. Can you honestly say that you would rather decide to invest in a CB, rather than a midfielder, given the alternatives available?
James is by far most effective when he got space to operate in offensively. If he had the same pace as Pereira i think he would really struggle as a player.
I have no evidence of that, given that this would be a hypothetical scenario that would be impossible to simulate. And i assume that you would have the same difficulties in proving that i would be wrong in my statement...