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Man Utd urged to scrap Harry Maguire transfer plan and sign ‘better player' instead
MANCHESTER UNITED have been told to forget signing Harry Maguire for £80million and go after Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld instead.
Man United: Alderweireld is 'better' than Maguire says pundit
Manchester United are said to have agreed an £80m fee with Leicester for Maguire.
The England international has been the Red Devils’ priority centre-back target throughout this window.
Rivals Manchester City have also shown interest in former Hull City man Maguire.
But it appears Manchester United are set to win the race for the 26-year-old.
He’s probably a better player right now, probably
But former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders is a not a huge fan of the proposed deal.
Saunders reckons signing Alderweireld would be a wiser move for United, claiming he is a better player than Leicester man Maguire despite being four years older.
Alderweireld has a £25m release clause in his Tottenham contract but that expires this Thursday.
“If that’s the benchmark for a centre-back, £80m, it has got ridiculous now hasn’t it,” Saunders said on talkSPORT.
“£80m for Harry Maguire.
“It’s not his fault, but where’s it going to stop?
“We were just talking there, Toby for £25m or Harry Maguire for £80m?
“[Alderweireld’s] 31, you can’t get the money back off Toby.
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“But he’s probably a better player right now, probably.
“Harry’s still young, he’s still got a lot of improvement in him.
“As I said it’s not his fault [he’s valued at £80m].
“As a striker myself I’d be thinking to myself ‘if I can get Harry Maguire out in the channels, if I can get him isolated and just get at him, he’s not mobile.”