‘Jonny Evans was better’: Tony Pulis says he rejected £80m Man United player at West Brom

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Tony Pulis and Harry Maguire sounds like a bit of a match made in heaven doesn’t it?

One of the most no-nonsense managers of all-time paired with a defender who loves to get stuck in and head everything that comes his way. It just makes sense.

Unfortunately, Pulis and Maguire have never worked with one another during their careers, but, according to Pulis, there was the chance for these two to work together at West Brom.

Indeed, Pulis says he was told by the recruitment staff at Albion to sign Maguire, but the gaffer didn’t want him as he thought Jonny Evans was the better option at the time.

Maguire rejected by West Brom

Pulis spoke about the £80m centre-back on the Baggies Broadcast Podcast.

“John Williams, and I can’t remember the recruitment people had said Maguire. I thought Jonny Evans was better than Maguire. They will argue that Maguire went to Leicester and was sold for an absolute fortune for Man United, but I thought Evans was better than Maguire,” Pulis said.

Would’ve worked well

Say what you will about Maguire these days, it has to be said that he’d have been brilliant in that West Brom team.

Maguire was fantastic during his time at Leicester – hence why United paid so much for him in the first place, and under Pulis’ management, his strengths would have been highlighted on a weekly basis.

Sadly for the Baggies, Pulis went in a different direction, and, ultimately, the club were relegated not too long after that while Maguire established himself as an England international and the captain of Manchester United.