Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has reportedly emerged as a potential transfer target for Chelsea.
On Sunday evening, Maguire announced on social media that he had been stripped of the club captaincy at Old Trafford, a consequence of falling down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag.
The England international was provided with just 759 minutes of football in the Premier League during 2022-23, half of those outings coming from the substitutes' bench.
As it stands, Maguire finds himself behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof in the central-defensive ranks, while Luke Shaw has also been given the nod over him on occasions.
Reports have recently suggested that Ten Hag and United would prefer to part ways with the 30-year-old at a time when they could benefit from a transfer fee and getting his wages off their outgoings.
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However, Maguire has, in fact, allegedly been handed a wage rise due to the club's qualification for the Champions League, and it has been claimed that the former Leicester City man would prefer to fight for his place.
That said, Maguire - regardless of his recent form - has admirers in his signature with a number of clubs in the Premier League regarded as realistic destinations.
According to The Sun, Chelsea are toying with the idea of making contact with United regarding a deal for the player.
That is despite Mauricio Pochettino being well stocked for options in that area of the pitch with Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah all at his disposal.
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Nevertheless, Chelsea are allegedly open to offers for Chalobah, Silva is now 38 years of age and Colwill is attracting interest from Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Realistically, with Chelsea not participating in Europe this season, Pochettino would want to part ways with one of his current crop rather than Maguire become a sixth central-defensive option in his squad.
The report adds that Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United have also taken an interest in Maguire ahead of the new campaign.
Other teams may also enter the race, including on the continent, depending on the valuation that United put on Maguire and whether a loan exit becomes a viable option.
Darren Plant
