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Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire is considered highly likely to leave on a free transfer this summer, with Chelsea a surprise suitor.
The 32-year-old is nearing the end of his contract and has a number of suitors in the Premier League and beyond, as first reported here for the Daily Briefing.
Maguire could get offers from the likes of West Ham, Everton, and Bournemouth, or possibly also from Napoli and Roma if he decides to move abroad.
Still, the most surprising name mentioned by multiple sources is Chelsea, who are keen to bring in a more experienced player to complement their young squad.
Given that Maguire will be a free agent, it seems Chelsea see some value in signing the England international to give them a Thiago Silva-esque figure in defence.
The Blues have focused a lot on recruiting top young talents under their current ownership, but they look like they’ve missed Silva since his departure.
Silva, 41, is back in Europe playing for Porto, having only left Chelsea in the summer of 2024, remaining a key part of their squad even though he was in his late 30s when he left.
This inexperienced Chelsea squad could surely do with someone like Maguire coming in and playing a similar role.
Well-connected sources with ties to the agents industry told me: “Maguire’s availability has a lot of clubs taking a look.
“Chelsea are surprisingly open to this deal – they know they’re missing an experienced Thiago Silva-like figure at the back. It’s not necessarily the most likely outcome, but don’t rule it out.”
It will be interesting to see if Chelsea do decide to step up their pursuit of Maguire, or if they target someone similar to signal a slight change of direction in their transfer strategy.
Some United fans may well want Maguire to stay after his improved recent form, but the feeling on all sides is that that’s unlikely and an exit is inevitable this summer.
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