Harry Maguire has made a clear statement on the chances of a West Ham move in January after his Manchester United resurgence.
Last month, almost out of nowhere, there was renewed talk of Harry Maguire moving to West Ham from Manchester United.
And the Man United outcast was doing nothing to play it down.
We reported on Maguire’s comments in an England press conference during the last international break where he called West Ham “a massive club”.
The centre-back spoke out to insist he was never actually given the opportunity to join the Hammers because an agreement was never properly reached between Man United, West Ham and the player himself.
Maguire makes clear statement on chances of West Ham move
As West Ham fans know David Moyes spent most of the summer window pursuing Maguire and reports claimed a £30m deal was agreed. But the Red Devils reportedly failed to agree a satisfactory severance with their fifth-choice central defender.
Maguire then did a further interview discussing his failed West Ham move which was seen as a come and get me plea to Moyes ahead of the January window.
The defender bluntly said he refuses to continue to sit on the bench at Man United and will speak to the club about leaving if it carries on.
Now Maguire has made a clear statement on chances of West Ham move in January after a Manchester United resurgence.
Maguire feels ‘vindicated’ over Hammers snub
In the month since his comments, Maguire has found himself back in the side due to injuries.
And, despite some woeful performances, Man United have somehow managed to nick a few results to be one of the Premier League’s form sides.
It seems that has left Maguire feeling vindicated. Because he insists he has been proved right to resist leaving for West Ham in the summer.
Maguire was asked by Sky Sports about his increased game time after turning down an offer from West Ham in favour of remaining at Old Trafford, even though the club accepted a bid for the 30-year-old.
And he says it has proved him right.
‘I was willing to stay and fight’
“Of course (I feel vindicated for snubbing West Ham move to stay at Man United),” Maguire said.
“I played a few games last year, I just didn’t play as many as I would have liked. I had two or three opportunities to get a run of games but I broke down with illness and broke down with injuries twice, so I never got the rhythm and never got the run of games so I could prove myself to the manager.
“I really enjoy playing for this club and I was willing to stay and fight for my place.
“You use your experience and the memories you’ve had. I had to work hard in training to make sure I was ready. There was a lot of talk about me because I wasn’t playing games, but I was playing well for my country, went to the World Cup and always thought my form was there.
“But I am up against some top-level centre-backs and last year they were playing amazingly, so I didn’t get as many opportunities as I would have liked. This club demands competition for places and that is what we have in my position.”
Maguire clearly has no intention of leaving Manchester United in January.
So West Ham – and particularly Moyes – should not waste anymore time chasing him.
Unless of course there is a big change in his situation over the next six or seven weeks before the January transfer window swings open.
West Ham may need to bring someone in, though. There are already question marks over Nayef Aguerd. But he is off the AFCON and Kurt Zouma is injury prone. Beyond that West Ham have the ageing and barely used Angelo Ogbonna and new boy Konstantinos Mavropanos.
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