Manchester United’s Tactical Ploy: A Harry Maguire for Mason Mount Swap?

Man Utd’s Move for Chelsea Midfield Maestro Mount

In recent days, the transfer rumour mill has been abuzz with Manchester United’s interest in Chelsea’s midfield ace, Mason Mount. Whispered speculations of United agreeing to personal terms with Mount have now become louder, with the main sticking point being the Blues’ lofty €80 million price tag. Amidst these speculations, United is supposedly looking to secure him for half that asking price.

Meanwhile, things haven’t been looking too rosy for Manchester United’s club captain, Harry Maguire. According to reports by Football Transfers, the central defender seems to have lost his footing in the pecking order under Erik ten Hag’s regime. The pairing of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, with Victor Lindelof as a ready replacement, has diminished Maguire’s indispensability in the United backline.

The 30-year-old’s dwindling prominence has cast a shadow over his spot in the England squad, leading to rumours of an impending departure. Even Ten Hag has acknowledged the player’s difficult times at the club. However, this could be part of a grand plan by Manchester United to rejuvenate their squad, and Maguire seems to be the ideal candidate for the summer exodus.

The Mount-Maguire Swap Deal

An intriguing report suggests that Ten Hag might consider using Maguire as a bargaining chip to bring Mount to Old Trafford. It appears United are contemplating incorporating Maguire in their offer for Mount to make it more appealing to Chelsea, particularly since they might struggle to match the asking price due to their ongoing ownership turmoil.

While it seems almost certain that United will attempt to offload Maguire this summer, the bigger question is whether Chelsea would be willing to accept such a deal. Although Maguire remains a competent defender, if deemed surplus to requirements at United, why would a club with ambitions of breaking into the top four next season like Chelsea be keen on him?

Chelsea, with its already robust centre-back options, doesn’t appear to be in urgent need of bolstering that area of the field. They are expecting the return of Levi Colwill from his Brighton loan, further enhancing their central defence options. In fact, there are reports suggesting that they’re planning to offload Kalidou Koulibaly after just a single season.

A Deal Riddled with Questions

This mooted deal raises more questions than it answers. Would Chelsea find value in adding another central defender to their ranks, particularly one that’s fallen out of favour at United? Or would the allure of a reduced price for Mount, thanks to the Maguire makeweight, be too tempting to resist? Only the summer transfer window will provide the answers.