Former West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has revealed why he believes that Manchester United star Harry Maguire turned down a move to the Hammers.
Maguire has fallen down the pecking order under United manager Erik ten Hag and struggled to re-establish himself as a regular in the Red Devils starting XI.
The out-of-favour United defender was also stripped of the club captaincy this summer, with Ten Hag appointing Bruno Fernandes as Maguire’s successor.
United had accepted a £30m bid for Maguire from West Ham, but the move collapsed earlier this week after the Hammers were left ‘frustrated over the delay.’
READ MORE: Man United still ‘aiming to sell three more players’ amid Harry Maguire’s transfer collapsing
Allardyce on Maguire turning down West Ham
Maguire’s future at United has been left in limbo, despite Ten Hag suggesting that the England international could still compete for a place in his side.
Speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, Allardyce suggested that the 30-year-old United wantaway “wants something bigger” than West Ham.
“He [Maguire] turned West Ham down, he’s turned it down,” the former England boss said.
MORE UNITED STORIES
“I know his agent really well. I think — and this is no disrespect to West Ham, because I managed them — he feels that with the troubles they had last season down the bottom of the league, he doesn’t want to be going there, he wants something bigger.”
Ten Hag’s message to Maguire
Speaking ahead of United’s 1-0 win over Wolves, Ten Hag insisted that Maguire can be a “top-class centre-back” and he is the “best for England.”
However, the United manager made it clear that Maguire has to “make the decision” over his club future if he doesn’t want to stay and “prove” himself at Old Trafford.
“For Harry, he has to fight for his place,” Ten Hag said (via the Manchester Evening News).
“He has the ability to be a top-class centre-back, he is the best for England so why shouldn’t he be the best for us?
“But he has to prove it. When he is not confident enough to go with that fight then he has to go, he has to make the decision. But I am happy with him.
“We don’t have a squad with 11 players. Last year proved definitely we need all the players, so you need high-level players who are maybe not starting but that can change, so there is an internal competition and everyone has to fight for his place.”