Didi Hamann sees the sense in Liverpool signing CB from fierce rivals.
Liverpool have seen themselves urged to consider one of the more eyebrow-raising moves of the upcoming summer, with Dietmar Hamann suggesting the Merseysiders weigh up a free transfer for Harry Maguire when his Manchester United contract expires.
Here is what he told CasinoBeats via GOAL:
“You’ve got to give it to Harry Maguire because he got so much stick in the last few years and he always comes back. If he’s available on a free then obviously have to think about it because I think what Liverpool need is more depth at the back.”
“Joe Gomez has been around the squad for a long time but he’s never really been a starter for the team. Connor Bradley is out now through injury. We’ll have to see how it affects him when he comes back.”
The noise has been driven by Hamann, whose reputation for throwing out headline-friendly takes is well established. From United’s side, though, the bigger issue is not whether Liverpool should sign Maguire but why United have allowed a situation where a senior, experienced defender could even reach this stage without clarity over his future.
Didi Hamann floats the idea of Liverpool signing Harry Maguire.
Didi Hamann floats the idea of Liverpool signing Harry Maguire.
Big Harry Maguire to Liverpool?
Maguire’s recent resurgence has changed the tone around him at Old Trafford. Performances against Manchester City and Arsenal reminded everyone that, stripped of the chaos and constant scrutiny, he can still be a dependable Premier League centre-back. He has handled pressure before, bounced back from ridicule, and shown professionalism when many would have folded. From United’s perspective, that makes the silence over his contract harder to justify.
There is also the optics. Letting a player of Maguire’s profile leave for nothing, especially one who has just steadied the defence during a turbulent period, would look like poor asset management. United have spent years bleeding value in the market, and this would be another example of failing to either commit to a player or move him on at the right time.
The Liverpool angle almost feels like a distraction. From United’s side, a move to Anfield is extremely unlikely to materialise, not just because of rivalry, but because Liverpool’s system does not suit Maguire’s game. That makes Hamann’s suggestion feel more like noise than threat. The real risk for United is not losing Maguire to a rival, but losing control of the situation altogether.
United have a decision to make. Either they see Maguire as part of the squad going forward, in which case talks should already be happening, or they accept that his time is coming to an end and act accordingly. Drifting towards a free transfer helps nobody at Old Trafford, least of all a club trying to re-establish credibility in its football operations.