West Ham United's rise under David Moyes' management will forever be heralded in east London for the stunning ascent to sustained European exploits – leading to victory in the Europa Conference League last season.
Such success has meant that truly excellent players have been welcomed to the fold, with the likes of Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen coveted commodities on the European scene.
The climb to prominence even led to the attempts to sign Manchester United's Harry Maguire in the summer, but a deal wasn't agreed. Now, the Irons are believed to be back in for the titan and could move this winter.
What's the latest on Harry Maguire to West Ham?
The fact that Maguire's name remains in circulation suggests that Moyes is still optimistic that a deal could be struck in the future, and should the 30-year-old's playing time continue to cause concern such a transfer grows increasingly likely.
According to ESPN, West Ham are indeed considering a new bid for Maguire and may even lodge a formal offer in January.
It's understood that the Hammers grew weary of Maguire's unwillingness to commit to a transfer from the Theatre of Dreams and withdrew their £30m bid this summer, though with Manchester United's stance relatively unchanged a deal might be salvaged next year.
However, Maguire recently claimed that there was no agreement between the respective outfits and that he did not actually turn down a transfer to the London Stadium.
How good is Harry Maguire?
Manchester United signed Maguire from Leicester City for £80m in 2019, surpassing the world-record £75m fee Liverpool paid Southampton for Virgil van Dijk 18 months earlier.
Maguire had impressed in the Premier League but he has become a figure of debate for his poor performances and has received many vitriolic comments, branded as a "liability" by figures such as talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan.
Despite all of the criticism, he remains a powerful and commanding centre-half and a "leader" of men, as he has been called by international teammate Kieran Trippier.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 16% for passes attempted, the top 15% for progressive carries and the top 9% for aerial wins per 90 – highlighting his ball-playing skills and imposing presence, attributes that would suit West Ham very well.
Not just an imposing unit defensively, the England international has also been known to pop up with a goal, scoring 28 goals at club level, 11 of which have come in the Premier League. Of course, he has played a great deal more games but for context, that tally was more than even Sebastien Haller managed in the top-flight of English football, netting ten times in 48 outings.
Such a glistening array of qualities could well mean the £190k-per-week star is the perfect replacement for defender Kurt Zouma, who is the West Ham captain and has been integral in Moyes' side's endeavours over the past several years.
However, as ESPN covered in their report on Maguire's transfer situation, Zouma is contracted until 2025, and while the east London side are hoping to extend his current deal, Saudi Arabian suitors are eager to exploit any hiccups in negotiations.
Zouma joined the club from Chelsea in a £30m transfer two years ago, and has been praised for his "incredible" qualities by his Scottish manager.
Clearly important to the squad's progress, Zouma's leadership could be emulated by a player of Maguire's standing, and while the Frenchman ranks among the top 4% of defenders for goals scored and the top 2% for clearances per 90, he is not known for his passing ability and ranks among the bottom 3% for passes attempted per 90.
Maguire would be an excellent replacement and one whose time in Manchester appears to be drawing to a close, earning his first Premier League start of the season last time out against Brentford but only as a by-product of injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.
West Ham offer a starring role and a clean slate, and it's surely a transfer that would benefit all parties and is certainly one to keep an eye on over the coming months.