Man Utd Tipped to Chase Summer Free Agent Amid Harry Maguire Standoff

A deal would need to be wrapped up amid fierce competition.

Harry Maguire’s contract is set to expire in June. / Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

Manchester United are one of the teams keeping tabs on Marc Guéhi as the Crystal Palace captain winds his way towards free agency next summer, reports state.

The England international was a matter of hours away from moving up north over the summer until his transfer to Liverpool collapsed on Deadline Day. Guéhi has informed Palace that he will not extend a deal which runs out on June 30, 2026, but his exact destination next season remains unclear.

Liverpool naturally remain one of the leading contenders, but an elbowing pack of rival suitors has quickly spawned in the shadow of the Premier League champions.

Real Madrid, modern-day masters of the free transfer (particularly for centre backs), have been credited with interest in the 25-year-old, while the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and even Barcelona could potentially afford the soon-to-be unattached agent.

Next. Marc Guehi destinations. Marc Guéhi Potential Destinations—Ranked. dark

Now it is Manchester United’s turn to be linked with Guéhi. The Daily Mail report the Red Devils are very much interested in the prospect of snapping up an England international in his prime years without the need for a transfer fee this summer.

Marc Guéhi will not extend his Crystal Palace contract. / Eddie Keogh/Getty Images

Most of United’s funds next summer are expected to be diverted towards a new midfielder, with nine-digit valuations floated for the current pool of leading targets—namely, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, Nottingham Forest controller Elliot Anderson and Guéhi’s Palace teammate Adam Wharton.

United’s quest to scrounge together the necessary sums for a marquee midfield arrival are thought to hinge on player exits. Casemiro’s swollen contract is one that could be taken off the books while Harry Maguire’s potential exit is one which has been earmarked to theoretically pave the way for Guéhi’s arrival. Yet, this would be anything but a straight swap.

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Would Marc Guéhi Be an Upgrade on Harry Maguire?

Marc Guéhi (left) and Harry Maguire have only won eight England caps alongside each other. / Carl Recine/Getty Images

Maguire and Guéhi may both be English, right-footed centre backs who prefer playing on the left hand side of a partnership, but the similarities largely stop there. Maguire is a hulking force of nature who is forever making the most of his unrivalled physicality—much to Ruben Amorim’s delight.

United’s Portuguese head coach greatly values his centre back’s aerial prowess. “He’s the only guy who can a score a goal with his head!” Amorim only half-joked last season. Guéhi, by comparison, has never scored a Premier League header (failing with 39 attempts to date) and boasts just one aerial strike across his entire senior career.

Guéhi’s game is on the ground. Standing five inches shorter than his compatriot at 5'11", Palace’s skipper is his team’s first passing outlet from the back, leading the squad this season for passes into the final third, progressive passes and just any type of pass. Maguire’s ability on the ball is hardly disastrous, but it’s not his area of expertise.

Whether Amorim values Maguire’s brawn over Guéhi’s ball-playing ability is a question only the Portuguese boss can answer—and one he may have to rule on in the coming weeks.

Statistic	Marc Guéhi	Harry Maguire
Passes into the Final Third	4.0	2.4
Progressive Carries	0.8	0.5
Tackles	2.1	1.2
Interceptions	1.0	1.6
% Dribblers Tackled	67%	74%
Aerial Win Rate	54%	73%

* Data via FBref and averaged per 90 minutes over the past 365 days.

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