Harry Maguire's desire to stay at Manchester United this summer could negatively impact the Red Devils' efforts to sign Napoli's Kim Min-jae, according to a report.
Having fallen to fifth choice in the pecking order under Erik ten Hag, Maguire has been expected to end his mixed stint at Old Trafford this summer in search of regular game time.
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez were untouchable in the backline before suffering severe injuries in March, at which point Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw stepped in.
As a result, Maguire - who has also come under fire for several high-profile errors - made just eight Premier League starts in 2022-23 and was named on the bench in the EFL Cup final and FA Cup final.
The likes of Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Aston Villa could all offer Maguire an escape route, while there have been whispers of a potential player-plus-cash deal with Chelsea involving Mason Mount.
The 30-year-old remains a trusted member of Gareth Southgate's England squad, but the Three Lions boss has admitted that his situation is "concerning" as the Euro 2020 runners-up bid to qualify for next year's continental championships.
Despite the possibility of his England spot coming under threat, it has been claimed that Maguire wants to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford, where he has a contract until 2025.
According to 90min, Maguire's U-turn has United chiefs worried about their chances of signing a new big-name defender this summer as Ten Hag seeks to bolster his rearguard ranks further.
Phil Jones, Eric Bailly and Axel Tuanzebe are all heading for the exit door, while Lindelof's long-term future remains up in the air, although Ten Hag is supposedly hoping to keep the Swede.
Other defensive outgoings could leave the Dutchman thin on the ground, though, and a move for Napoli and South Korea star Kim is believed to be on Man United's agenda.
However, the report states that Man United may be forced to rethink their transfer strategy if Maguire continues to resist an exit, but some club chiefs will attempt to sign a new centre-back regardless.
The former Leicester City man now has seven goals and five assists to show from 175 games in a Red Devils jersey, while Kim ended his debut season at Napoli with a Serie A winners' medal around his neck.
The 26-year-old came up with two goals and two assists in 35 top-flight matches for the Partenopei, while also starting nine Champions League games en route to the quarter-finals.
Kim's contract at Napoli runs until 2025 with an option to extend for another two years, but his terms apparently include a release clause worth a modest €50m (£42.7m), which will be active for two weeks at the beginning of July.
As a result, Napoli are attempting to tie the defender down to a fresh deal without such an option, but the consensus is that he will move on, and Paris Saint-Germain are currently said to be in the driving seat for his signature. body check tags ::
