Man Utd ready to use Harry Maguire in player plus cash deal for Premier League star

Manchester United are prepared to use Harry Maguire in a player-plus-cash deal to land a Premier League star wanted by their rivals.

United are preparing for a busy summer following the completion of INEOS' minority takeover.

INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe has confirmed that a complete audit of the club will be carried out ahead of the summer transfer window, including an assessment of Erik ten Hag's playing squad.

The process will identify areas for improvement, and a new central midfield is expected to be a top priority.

One player that United are keen on is West Ham star Lucas Paqueta, and United could include Maguire as part of a move to sign him.

West Ham failed with a £30 million move for Maguire last summer, but the England defender has been in and out of Ten Hag's side since then.

With the 31-year-old entering the final year of his contract this summer, West Ham are reportedly confident Maguire could be snapped up for as little as £15m.

United have the option of extending Maguire's contract by a year, but they could look to offload him to help fund new signings.

A player-plus-cash deal involving Maguire and Paqueta could suit both United and West Ham, and could have the bonus of denying rivals Manchester City one of their targets.

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Pep Guardiola's side looked set to sign Paqueta last summer, but the move collapsed after the Brazilian became entangled in a betting probe and West Ham rejected multiple City offers.

ESPN have reported that City will renew their efforts this summer as they view Paqueta as an ideal replacement for Bernardo Silva.

The Portuguese star signed a new deal with the Premier League champions last year, although it's understood that a release clause was included in the agreement.

With seven goals and six assists in all competitions so far this season, Paqueta would represent a great addition for either of the Manchester giants.

Topics: Manchester United, Manchester City, Harry Maguire, Premier League, Manchester United Transfer News & Rumours, West Ham United

Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton is a Sports Trends Writer at SPORTbible. He has previously worked with publications including the Manchester Evening News, GOAL and BBC Sport. He is a football fanatic, but also dabbles in tennis and American football. He enjoys running, cooking and watching non-league football.

@alex_brotherton