Spurs transfer news: “Unbelievable” player “would consider” joining

With Tottenham in desperate need of defensive reinforcements this summer, would Harry Maguire be a good signing?

A move to Tottenham Hotspur is something Manchester United’s Harry Maguire would “consider”, even without the lure of Champions League football, claims journalist Paul Brown.

Is Harry Maguire joining Tottenham Hotspur this summer?

In a shock to absolutely nobody, Spurs’ summer window has once again been dominated by another Harry Kane transfer saga, with links to German giants Bayern Munich refusing to disperse and, if anything, getting stronger as the Bavarians become more bullish in their attempts to sign the England captain.

With only a year left on his £200,000-a-week deal, this saga will continue dominating the narrative around the Lilywhites until a decision is made.

However, this isn’t necessarily the worst thing, as it might mean that the club can go about making their own signings with less scrutiny, and so far, they have added real quality to both the first team and squad.

The marquee signing is undeniably James Maddison, but Guglimlo Vicario and Manor Solomon look like shrewd acquisitions in a market increasingly losing any touch it once had with reality.

However, for as good as the recruitment has been thus far, the one area of the team that needs the most attention is centre-back, as the club managed to ship a staggering 63 goals across their 38 Premier League games last season.

The two names linked to the club the most over the last few weeks have been Edmond Tapsoba from Bayer Leverkusen and Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg. However, another name has recently entered the rumour mill, former United captain Maguire.

According to reports from Spain (via Football 365), the England international is emerging as a critical target for the Lilywhites as his time at Old Trafford looks to have finally come to an end.

What has Paul Brown said about Harry Maguire and Tottenham Hotspur?

Brown explained that even without the lure of Champions League football, Spurs is a club that Maguire would consider, primarily due to its size and stature.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: “I think Maguire at Spurs is quite an interesting one. It might be a club he’d consider. I know obviously, they finished well off the Champions League pace last season, so I don’t have that to offer him but I think you know, the size of the club and the reputation of it.

“I think it’s something, I think it’s a move he would consider.”

Should Tottenham sign Harry Maguire?

One thing the club should be prepared for if they do pull the trigger on this signing is the fan backlash. The image Maguire has cultivated over the last few years is one of a walking disaster, and fans might fear the worst should he join.

However, as with many opinions in football, it’s not entirely true, and the former Foxes man could certainly be useful to Ange Postecoglou in his new-look Spurs side.

His underlying numbers, for example, are actually quite impressive and suggest that in the right system, he could well get back to his best form, the form that saw him earn that £80m move to the Red Devils in the first place.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe’s top five leagues, the “unbelievable” 6 foot 4 sits in the top 11% for blocks, the top 12% for aerial duals won, the top 13% for touches in the oppositions penalty area, the top17% for attempted passes, the top 19% progressive carries, and the top 26% for progressive passes received, all per 90.

It should also be noted that in the last World Cup, he was voted into Sky Sports’ Team of the Tournament, and in Euro 2020 – when England almost won it all – he was named in the official Team of the Tournament.

Ultimately, if Spurs can get this deal done for a relatively low price and weather the stick and attention they’ll surely get, this could end up being a great piece of business.