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Harry Maguire was quite remarkable at the heart of defence for Manchester United in the 2020-21 season. He was sorely missed in the final few weeks of the campaign and his absence in the Europa League final was a big blow to the Red Devils.
Maguire then went on to have a great outing at Euro 2020, where he was officially named in the team of the tournament. The build-up to that point would wheedle anyone into believing that the Englishman was ready to take his game to the next level.
Harry Maguire has underperformed massively at Manchester United this season
When Manchester United brought Raphael Varane to the Theater of Dreams in the summer, they expected the move to shore up their defence. The Frenchman has done a good job but Harry Maguire's level has dropped off massively.
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These days, it is rare for Harry Maguire not to be turned inside out during a game. He is clearly what you call a 'confidence player' and is really running low on fuel right now.
The good thing is that Manchester United are rich enough to throw money at their problems. Of course, they need to be more surgical about it than they have been in the recent past.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five centre-backs who could replace Harry Maguire at Manchester United.
#5 Diego Carlos (Sevilla)
Sky Sports reported in January that Sevilla centre-back Diego Carlos was ready to submit a transfer request to secure a move to Newcastle United. Sevilla are giving Real Madrid a proper chase in the title race while the Magpies are scrambling to move out of the Premier League drop zone.
It came as a huge surprise that Carlos was willing to forgo the opportunity to win the La Liga title just to get embroiled in a relegation battle. But to each his own. The Brazilian has held the fort down for the Andalusians and has helped them keep the best defensive record in La Liga so far (17 goals in 25 games).
Sevilla would have reportedly let him go for the right price. But Newcastle United wanted to sign him on an initial loan deal for £5 million with an option to buy for £26 million in the summer.
You need to add some Manchester United premium on top of that, and maybe Sevilla will be open to selling the 28-year-old to them for around £40 million this summer. Carlos is a strong centre-back who is excellent at aerial duels. He is also a very good passer of the ball and is quite an aggressive presence at the back while defending.
#4 Pau Torres (Villarreal)
If it was last season, Pau Torres would be higher up on this list. That's not to say that Torres' form has deteriorated in the ongoing season. But one of Torres' principal weaknesses is his tackling ability. Manchester United have suffered a great deal already due to how poor Maguire is at it.
But Torres, being left-footed, will definitely bring a lot more dynamism to their game. The 25-year-old can do a very good job with the ball at his feet. He is a very good passer of the ball and is also quite fearless when it comes to getting in the way of shots in the final third.
The big upgrade, with respect to Maguire, would be that Torres very seldom overcommits. He has a good reading of the game and is a composed presence at the back. Torres has been in very good form since the turn of the year and not much is likely to go wrong with signing him.
He has also scored three goals in his last six games. Harry Maguire, being billed as a major threat from set-pieces, was expected to add goals to Manchester United when he was signed. We all know how that one's going.
#3 Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich)
Bayern Munich centre-back Niklas Sule is set to leave the club in the summer as a free agent. According to Bayern Munich chief Karl Heinz Rummenigge, Sule never really hit the heights expected of him at the club.
The 26-year-old has agreed to join Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season, according to Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc.
Irrespective of that, Manchester United are trying to sign Sule in the next two years. He could be a great fit for the Premier League. Bringing him in this summer will be almost impossible now that he has an agreement with Dortmund.
However, Manchester United ought to keep tabs on him and try to engineer a deal for him in the near future. He is a well-rounded centre-back who is excellent at making tackles and harrying opponents, qualities that Harry Maguire has not come close to exhibiting in recent times.
Sule also has plenty of experience playing in a high backline, which is something Ralf Rangnick wants to implement at Manchester United. His ball progression skills are on point and he will definitely be a major upgrade on Harry Maguire.
#2 Matthijs De Ligt (Juventus)
Juventus are reportedly planning a major squad overhaul this summer. Massimiliano Allegri already made strides in that direction during the January transfer window. The Juventus manager wants to assemble a set of players who can help them get back to the level they hit under his first spell.
The Bianconeri are reportedly open to the idea of selling De Ligt in the summer. The Dutchman joined Juventus in 2019 from Ajax on a deal worth €75 million. The move hasn't really gone according to plan and it looks like he has stagnated in Turin.
The 22-year-old has garnered attention from the likes of Chelsea and Barcelona as well. Juventus will be more than happy to spark a bidding war between all the European giants who are interested in signing De Ligt.
As a result, he won't be available for cheap but then again, money wasn't a problem when Manchester United went for Maguire. So why shouldn't they do it for a younger, more promising centre-back?
But De Ligt is viewed as one of the best modern centre-backs in the business. He is also just 22 and has his entire career ahead of him. If Manchester United are willing to invest for the long-term, there are few better options than the former Ajax captain.
#1 Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea)
Antonio Rudiger is one of the best centre-backs in the world right now. After being in the doghouse at Chelsea under Frank Lampard, Rudiger earned back his place in the starting XI in the most convincing manner. He has been fundamental to Chelsea's improvement over the course of the last year.
The German international is a belligerent defender who is blessed with blistering pace and technical ability. He is a hard-tackling centre-back who is not afraid to get in the way of anything and is someone who fights for the badge until the final whistle is blown.
The Blues will and should try everything to keep him, but if the 28-year-old's wage demands are too high, they might let him go for free in the summer. If he becomes a free agent this summer, it's a no-brainer. Manchester United will be difficult to break down, with Raphael Varane and Rudiger protecting their defensive third.
