West Ham United have had a £20 million bid for Harry Maguire, 29, rejected by Arsenal, The Sun reports.

The Hammers, who sold key player Declan Rice to Arsenal in a £105 million deal, are looking to bolster their squad with the transfer money they have earned and are believed to be the most active club in the race for Maguire.

“David Moyes wants Maguire, but it’s doubtful he’ll push for a deal given his wages, and it’s unclear if Maguire will want to move,” The Athletic analyzed.

Manchester United formed a first-choice center back line last season with new signing Lisandro Martinez alongside Rafael Varane.

As a first-choice defender, Maguire was relegated to a third option, and when Martinez and Varane went down with injuries, he was never given a full run. So much so, in fact, that manager Eric ten Haggis used flanker Luke Shaw at center back in place of Maguire and labeled him a transfer target. He was even stripped of the captain’s armband this preseason.

Maguire’s wages are a whopping £190,000 a week after failing to make the squad even as a candidate. His contract runs until 2025, with an option for the 먹튀검증 club to extend it by one year at the end of the contract.

Manchester United are hoping to free up salary cap space and use the proceeds of the sale to fund transfers by selling Maguire, who is an out-of-favor player and earns a high weekly wage.

However, the club’s policy is that they cannot sell Maguire on the cheap, given how much they paid for him. In 2019, he left Leicester City (England) for Manchester United for a transfer fee of 85 million pounds (about 13.7 billion won), the highest fee ever for a defender. According to the English Daily Mirror, Manchester United set a transfer fee of £50 million. That’s more than double what West Ham United had offered. “Potential suitors are highly unlikely to pay £50 million for Maguire,” said the Daily Mail. With Maguire a clear out-of-favor player at Old Trafford, there is room for negotiation if Manchester United are willing to haggle.”

There’s also the fact that Maguire has no interest in parting ways with United. With two years left on his contract, Maguire is confident that he can stay and compete for a starting spot. “Maguire has spent most of this season on the bench but is keen to stay at the club beyond the summer transfer window,” The Athletic’s Rory Whitwell wrote in the wake of Maguire’s departure. The loss of the captain’s armband reportedly hasn’t changed Maguire’s mind.

“A lack of game time at Manchester United could affect his international career,” Gareth Southgate said in an interview last month. England are preparing for Euro 2024 in Germany next June.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils have signed goalkeeper Andre Onana and midfielder Mason Mount in the summer transfer window. They are targeting Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund as their next signing.