talkSPORT’s Ally McCoist and Jamie O’Hara both think Harry Maguire could be a good fit at Tottenham Hotspur.
But if the Manchester United captain were to switch allegiance and sign for his club’s Premier League rivals in January, how would Spurs boss Antonio Conte fit him into his system of play?
AFP
Experts believe Maguire could swap red for white in January
Maguire has had an underwhelming season for Man United so far, starting just nine games under Erik ten Hag, leading fans to question his place in England’s 2022 World Cup squad .
But since then, the centre-back has rediscovered his former form and was one of the Three Lions’ best players in his career in Qatar, and talkSPORT pundits reckon he will move to the likes of Spurs, where he is not ‘will sit on the court. bank, would be a smart choice.
“I think he [Maguire] he’s going to move,” McCoist told talkSPORT. “I don’t think he can move, I’ll go further, I think he’s going to move.
He continued: “Right off the bat I’d say he’s good enough for Spurs.”
Former Tottenham player and Spurs fan O’Hara later agreed, saying: “Say Spurs come for him in January, of course I’d take him to Tottenham. We need a centre-half.”
But the question is how would Maguire fit into Conte’s finely tuned 3-4-3 formation? talkSPORT.com took a look…
Getty
This is where Conte could put Maguire in his Spurs XI
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How would Maguire fit into the Spurs XI?
Fortunately for Maguire, Conte plays with three centre-backs, which means there is less competition compared to a two-centre pairing.
He is also clearly much better suited to a back three, as demonstrated in previous tournaments with England compared to his Man United status, although he was part of a back four in Qatar.
Having lined up on the left for the Three Lions and Man United when he joined the team, the Spurs boss is likely to put his new signing there too.
That would mean, of course, that current Spurs left-back Ben Davies, who faced Maguire with Wales in Group B at the World Cup, would be dropped.
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Maguire will already be very familiar with some of Spurs’ biggest stars
Maguire would then look to feed the ball to Conte’s left-back Ryan Sessegnon and create opportunities for fellow long-term England captain Harry Kane.
To Maguire’s right and occupying the center of the back three would be another Three Lions teammate, Eric Dier. Although the pair did not play together in this World Cup, they did in Russia 2018.
Maguire’s aerial-dual success rate is probably something that Spurs currently lack in their backline as well.
This is what Spurs look like with Maguire at their disposal
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