There hasn’t been much discussion of potential center-back acquisitions this summer due to the current focus on Manchester United’s hunt for a new center-forward and their apparent interest in Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat.

Even though Erik ten Hag already has players like Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, and Victor Lindelof at his disposal in that position, in addition to the versatile Luke Shaw, the 30-year-old Harry Maguire is one of the players who is reportedly up for grabs right now. If Maguire leaves, Erik ten Hag will likely need a new face.

The former Leicester City player, who has recently been linked with a transfer to West Ham United, was only recently freed of the leadership after slipping down the pecking order last season, starting only eight Premier League games.

It is still unclear who might replace Maguire in the backline, despite recent rumours suggesting that Ten Hag has taken an interest in David Alaba of Real Madrid. Ten Hag is said to have expressed a strong interest in Kim Min-jae, a new signing for Bayern Munich, earlier in the transfer window.

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According to recent Spanish sources, the former Ajax manager is “obsessed” with signing the 31-year-old this summer, with suggestions that the player and United have already reached a “pre-agreement.”

The £372k-per-week star, who CIES Football Observatory estimates to be worth roughly €30m (£26m), only relocated to Madrid from Bayern in the summer of 2021, but he may be ready to switch to Old Trafford before the start of the next campaign.

David Alaba: How good is he?

The Austrian international has excelled in a centre-back position on numerous occasions, having played there in 29 appearances for Madrid last season. He was primarily used as a left-back during his time at former club Bayern, where he recorded 88 goals and assists in 431 games across all competitions.

Despite also being a “outstanding” option at full-back, according to former teammate Joshua Kimmich, the seasoned player might prove to be a dream upgrade over Maguire in that position. Kimmich previously referred to the veteran as “one of the best in the world at center-back.”

Alaba’s ability to give Ten Hag a natural left-footed option in the centre of defence is one of his most significant advantages. The Dutchman has previously stated that he prefers a left-footer because they can create “better angles” in possession.

According to FBref, the native of Vienna appears to be far more at ease while playing out from the back, with an average pass accuracy percentage of 87.4% per 90 over the past 365 days compared to Maguire’s 85.2%.

The fact that Alaba ranks in the top 2% among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues for assists and in the top 5% for shot-creating actions, respectively, while the current United player, in contrast, only ranks in the bottom 72% and bottom 52% for those same two metrics, is another example of Alaba’s superior attacking threat.

The hope is that this success will spread to those at the Theatre of Dreams, as Maguire’s only career trophy is last season’s Carabao Cup triumph. The Madrid star also offers the benefit of his prior winning experience, with three Champions Leagues under his belt among a plethora of other honours.

Alaba’s undeniable polish and quality should be enough to help send the Englishman packing if he is to join Ten Hag and company this summer, even though he isn’t necessarily a youthful replacement for Maguire.