So, yesterday I wrote about Harry Maguire being fairly reliably linked to Chelsea for the summer as a free agent.
If you missed it and want to see the full story, check it out before reading on.
I wanted to get your views on it before dropping mine, and I’ll hold my hands up here, I was very unfair on you all. But I wanted a clear answer, despite me myself being rather on the fence about it!
Anyways, your answers that I forced really did split the community…
- 54% said no, they would not take Maguire on a free
- 46% said yes, they would take him
It’s an opinion splitter.
I’ve really gone on and off with my opinion on Maguire over time. I mean, I’ve posted some harsh things about him over time, I absolutely have! I never used to rate him at all.
But over time, he started to win me over a little bit. But not enough to convince me to want him as a free agent.
The thing that makes me sit on the fence on it is the boxes that he would tick coming in. He’s a leader, he’s experienced, plenty of captain experience, Premier League proven, 64 England apps, John Terry rates him, he’s very tall, a big physical presence, superb in the air, commanding, and can play out from the back. He’s a proper traditional centre back I guess but with modern tweaks.
So, he ticks a lot of the boxes that I want to see added to our back line. But he’s no Thiago Silva, is he? I’ve seen many calamities from Maguire over the years as well as brain farts that gave me nightmares when he was playing for England. Has he cut that side of his game out as he’s matured? Maybe there is an argument for that? But these are just things that I cannot unsee I’m afraid, which is why I’m on the fence and not exactly backing it.
But everything else about it I like, the idea behind it. These are the type of signings we need to find and make to help complete the squad for me. Not Maguire in particular, but the boxes that he does tick.
I guess I see him a bit like marmite. Although not really, because sometimes I really enjoy watching him play and defend, other times I hate it! I just hate marmite always.. !
Anyways, we aren’t signing him let’s be honest, but it’s been interesting to see your thoughts all the same.