MANCHESTER UNITED outcast Harry Maguire turned West Ham down because of their struggles last season.
That is according to former Hammers manager Sam Allardyce, who claims he knows Maguire’s agent “really well”.
Manchester United ace Harry Maguire turned down a move to West HamSportsfile
Sam Allardyce claims Maguire feared a relegation scrap at West HamReuters
The centre-back, who has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford after he was stripped of the captain’s armband, almost moved to the London Stadium but a deal collapsed due to his financial demands.
West Ham had a £30million bid accepted by United and the transfer was all sorted.
But, as revealed by SunSport, the England international told the Red Devils he wanted £15m as he would surrender his £190,000-a-week contract for reduced £120,000 weekly wages in East London.
David Moyes’ side grew so frustrated with waiting for the 30-year-old to secure a pay-out from the Manchester giants that they walked away from negotiations.
Allardyce, however, claims there were more reasons behind Maguire‘s decision to reject West Ham.
The ex-England boss suggested he wants “something bigger” despite the Hammers’ Europa Conference League triumph last season.
The 68-year-old tactician added that the defender isn’t keen on a potential relegation scrap, especially after the East Londoners sold Declan Rice to Arsenal.
Allardyce told the No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast when asked where Maguire will play this season: “Manchester United.
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“He turned West Ham down, he’s turned it down. 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.”
SunSport revealed West Ham are now looking at other alternatives, such as former Arsenal player Konstantinos Mavropanos who stood out for Stuttgart last season.
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