"Wes Brown was quicker and faster than him" - Jaap Stam laments Manchester United star's defensive frailties and mammoth price tag

Ex-Manchester United defender Jaap Stam has taken the club’s current captain, Harry Maguire, to the cleaners. Stam has claimed that Wes Brown was a better defender than him. Stam also believes the Red Devils paid too much for only a “decent player.”

Influenced by Maguire’s performances with Leicester City, Manchester United decided to break the bank to bring the Englishman to Old Trafford in August 2019. They paid a whopping €87 million for his services, which made him the most expensive defender in the history of the club.

Since the record-breaking transfer, Maguire has struggled with consistency and has regularly drawn criticism for silly defensive mistakes. Stam, who represented Manchester United between 1998 and 2001, has become a vocal critic of Maguire, claiming the club paid a ludicrous amount for him.

Discussing Maguire’s performances on The Michael Anthony Show, the Dutchman stated the recruitment system should be blamed for the mindless purchase.

The former AC Milan player said:

“If nobody is happy with Harry and how he is playing and performing, they should look at the recruitment system. Look at who made the decision to bring him in and how decided to pay that much for a player we really don’t fancy or a player we really don’t like.”

Additionally, Stam claimed that Manchester United legend Wes Brown was a lot quicker and more agile than the ex-Leicester man. He opined that Brown was also a lot more efficient than Maguire in one-on-one situations.

Stam added:

"I think Wes Brown was quicker and faster than him. He was more mobile too in 1v1’s in big spaces. When you play for United you need to be able to defend 1v1s in big spaces.”

Maguire has featured in 16 Premier League games for the Old Trafford unit this season but has been below par on the pitch. The English center-back is yet to hit the back of the net in the Premier League this season.

Manchester United fall further behind in Premier League top-four race

Courtesy of their 2-2 draw at Aston Villa, Manchester United find themselves at a disadvantage in the Premier League top-four race. A brilliant brace by Bruno Fernandes put them 2-0 up but they failed to hold on to their advantage at Villa Park.

Ralf Rangnick’s men are currently seventh in the Premier League table, five points off fourth-placed West Ham United. Arsenal, who are fifth with 35 points, are also in the running for a Champions League spot. The Devils will return to Premier League action with a trip to Brentford on Wednesday night.