Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has been told to cut the club’s losses and sell centre-back Harry Maguire this summer, with a surprising transfer to a European club suggested.

Maguire remains Man Utd captain even though he is struggling to get into their starting eleven. Ten Hag prefers to use Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane in the centre of defence for most games.

This decision makes sense as the impressive form of Martinez and Varane is a big reason why the Red Devils have moved up to third in the Premier League and reached the Carabao Cup final, where they will come up against Newcastle.

Maguire will believe he should be starting most matches. After all, he is club captain and also the most expensive defender of all time, with the Man Utd having paid Leicester a huge £80million for him back in August 2019.

However, it is hard to see Ten Hag changing his mind in the near future. And the Man Utd board must soon come to the conclusion that enough is enough and the Englishman should be axed.

West Ham have been named as potential suitors for Maguire. And TEAMtalk transfer insider Ben Jacobs recently stated that Man Utd offloading Maguire this summer could happen as it would free up space for a new centre-half to join Ten Hag’s project.

Former defender Alan Hutton has now given his verdict on the 29-year-old. He reckons Maguire should reject West Ham’s advances and secure a shock loan move to Inter Milan, where he could revitalise his career.

But if Maguire refuses to go out on loan, then Man Utd should take a £50m ‘hit’ on him by accepting a transfer fee of just £30-35m.

Man Utd player struggles with Ten Hag style, says pundit

“He is a really good defender, they probably paid over the odds for him at the time,” Hutton said in an interview with Football Insider.

“Does he fit into that Ten Hag way? Is he going to come out with the ball, be confident, spread the passes about? I am not so sure.

“If they are to sell him, could they get £30-35m for him? Possibly. It is still a lot of money so they are going to have to take a hit on him.

“If I was him I would have left on loan. If you are not going to play from now until the end of the season why not go to Inter Milan. Play football, get your confidence back, then come back a better player. I think he has maybe missed a trick there.”

READ MORE: Leicester backed to complete transfer masterstroke by landing coveted star ahead of Man Utd, Chelsea

Maguire could follow in the footsteps of former Man Utd defender Chris Smalling. He left England in October 2020 by joining Italian side AS Roma.

Smalling has reinvigorated his career with Roma, becoming one of their most important players. The 33-year-old has enjoyed being out of the limelight which surrounds a Premier League player, particularly those at Man Utd.

Perhaps Hutton is right and Maguire should consider a transfer to a European team, where the scrutiny is just that little bit less. It will be interesting to see if any Italian clubs make contact with Man Utd for him during the summer.

Meanwhile, a report has revealed how much Man Utd will hold out for when selling a midfielder at the end of the campaign.

The article Ten Hag urged to take £50m ‘hit’ on Man Utd player, with shock European move predicted despite Prem interest appeared first on Teamtalk.com.