Newcastle United legend Shay Given has been in the Sky Sports News studio on deadline day and has offered up a potentially controversial opinion saying that the Magpies should have looked at a move for Harry Maguire.
The Magpies announced early on deadline day that their business was done, but now Shay Given has said that there was still a potential gap that needed plugging.
Talking on Sky Sports News on Deadline Day Shay Given was asked about Newcastle‘s transfer business and he said: “I think the business has been good. Maybe I would have looked at centre-half, if I’m honest. The likes of Harry Maguire. Would he have come in and helped them at the back? [Fabian] Schar has had his injury problems, [Sven] Botman is touch and go for this weekend, [Dan] Burn came into the back last weekend of course, so possibly they could have strengthened there.”
Harry Maguire has been linked to Newcastle all summer
Manchester United‘s Harry Maguire has been consistently linked with a move to Newcastle in this transfer window, but it always felt more like a media-driven thing more than anything coming out of the club.
After moving from Leicester City to Manchester United for £80million, Harry Maguire has come under a lot of criticism for his Man United performances to the point where heads are scratched every time Gareth Southgate selects him for his England squad.
In fairness to Maguire he always puts a shift in for the Three Lions, but it’s a huge risk by Southgate given how little he actually plays for Man United.
It’s those England appearances that keep me on the fence over whether a move for Maguire would be a bad thing. On paper it’s an absolute “no”. He can’t get a game for his current club and when he does he looks well off the pace. He has the turning circle of a penny farthing in quicksand and the pace to match.
Shay Given was right that the Magpies needed a centre-back
But, when he pulls on that England shirt he looks world-class. His positioning is excellent and his heading is second to none.
If we could guarantee we’d get England’s Harry Maguire and not Manchester United’s Harry Maguire then I’d say we could do a lot worse, but as we can’t guarantee that, I’m inclined to disagree with Shay Given on this one.
However, I definitely agree that we could have done with bringing in a centre-back in this window.
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