Premier League side Chelsea is reportedly eyeing Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, in what is perhaps the most shocking transfer rumour of the season. The Englishman hasn’t had the best time recently at Old Trafford, with a series of gaffes last season. Despite United’s new coach, Erik ten Hag, giving the 29-year-old a chance, Maguire has remained the butt of jokes, most recently because he made the team stand on the wrong side of the tunnel ahead of the match against Brighton, which United lost 2-1. 

The Mail broke the news of the surprise swap deal that the two competing sides could be eyeing. Chelsea would get Maguire, who United obtained for €87 million from Leicester in the 2019-2020 season. At the time, Maguire had become the most expensive defender in the world. United, meanwhile, would get American forward Christian Pulisic, who’s been trying to carve out first-team time for himself with the Stamford Bridge side but is open to exiting if his demands aren’t met. This would bolster the Red Devils’ attacking line which could take a hit if the recent news about Cristiano Ronaldo’s attempts to orchestrate a move to Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund comes true. 

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The Blues have been trying to bolster defences, and add players alongside Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly. Thomas Tuchel and co were eyeing Jules Kounde formerly, but Barcelona snapped up the French centre-back from underneath them. Now, the current talks with Leicester to obtain Wesley Fofana aren’t going anywhere either, though he remains Chelsea’s top target. 

The club’s change of ownership amid the sanctions placed on former owner Roman Abramovich, due to the Russia-Ukraine war, led to finances being frozen. As a result, Chelsea didn’t have the option to renew many contracts, which saw defenders like Antonio Rudiger depart. They also had lesser time than other clubs to make moves in the transfer market, after the Todd Boehly consortium took over Chelsea ownership and the purse strings were loosened so the PL side could get players for the new season. 

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Marc Cucurella the Brighton wing-back has been one such addition Chelsea has made, to strengthen their back line. With the transfer window coming to a close, Chelsea is scrambling to sign a new defender, and Manchester United might just get rid of a headache in the process.