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Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has been linked with a return to his former side Leicester.
The 30-year-old has been struggling for some time with Red Devils and has lost his place in the first team this term.
Meanwhile, the Foxes find themselves in a relegation battle and recently parted company with long-term manager Brendan Rodgers.
A reunion with the England defender could be beneficial for all parties on a crucial day at both ends of the table.
United host Everton in the early kick-off as they chase Champions League football, while Leicester welcome fellow strugglers Bournemouth.
Struggling for minutes
Maguire, once a guaranteed starter for United, has struggled for consistent game time under Erik ten Hag.
He has only featured for 479 minutes across 11 matches during the current Premier League campaign.
Last season, the Three Lions regular played 30 league games for United — evidence of just how far his stock has fallen.
Ten Hag has often picked Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez over Maguire, leading to rumours linking the 30-year-old with a move away from Old Trafford.
Ferdinand expects a departure
Ex-United defender Rio Ferdinand believes Maguire should leave the club in the summer.
He said: “If I’m Harry Maguire, I’m looking for a new club right now.
“This new manager is showing by his team selection that he is not going to be one of the two, three top centre-backs at this club.”
Given Ten Hag’s obvious preference for his team-mates, it may well be that Maguire needs to leave in order to rejuvenate his stalling career.
Leicester’s struggles
A move for Maguire would benefit Leicester as well, given their recent defensive struggles.
The Foxes have conceded 51 goals in the Premier League this season heading into this weekend, leaving their top-flight status unexpectedly hanging in the balance.
They have only kept six clean sheets so far this term, which represents a poor return for a side with much loftier ambitions than simply avoiding the drop.
Leicester have also allowed 268 shots from inside their penalty box — a record that does not bode well going into the end of the season.
Ten Hag remains positive
It is clear that Ten Hag does not trust his club captain as a first-choice defender.
However, the Dutchman was full of praise for Maguire after he played 90 minutes during United’s 1-0 win over Real Betis in the Europa League last month.
He said: “I am really happy with the progress Harry is making at the moment.
“He is more dominant and dictating, taking more initiative on the training pitch and we saw in Seville against Betis where he showed leadership, especially in those aspects of initiative and dictation of the game.”
Reunion on the cards
Maguire was a reliable performer for the Foxes between 2017 and 2019.
In the 2018-2019 season, he played 31 games for them and was imperious in the air, winning 118 aerial duels.
United were clearly impressed with his performances at the time, forking out a whopping £80million to bring him to Old Trafford.
Leicester will hope that bringing him back to the King Power Stadium could see the Englishman recapture the form that earned him his big move in the first place.
Victory against Bournemouth would be a huge step towards survival and making a reunion with Maguire a reality.
United, meanwhile, would be delightedly to recoup some of their huge outlay as Ten Hag tries to restore the glory days at Old Trafford.
