Paul Parker says that Manchester United's £80 million fee for Harry Maguire has created a false perception of the central defender.
The skipper has struggled this campaign and the former United full-back compared him to rival defender Virgil van Dijk who cost Liverpool £5m less.
Maguire has been synonymous with the defensive frailties this season at Old Trafford with much of the blame falling at the England international's feet.
The 57-year-old insists that if 50 per cent of the agreed fee had been agreed, people would look at his defensive qualities "differently."
He told MyBettingSites : "You don't have to spend £80 million on a centre half.
"It didn't make any sense at the time and when Harry Maguire's not playing for Man Utd, people will say 'wow, why was that money spent, where was it spent, what was the reason for it.'
"Maguire comes to Man Utd for 50% of that [the fee that they paid for him], people would look at him differently, without a shadow of a doubt. Because then you wouldn't expect it.
"30 miles down the road, was a centre-half that cost £5 million less [referring to Virgil van Dijk] but was doing double of what the £80m-man was doing and was doing it a lot better."
Whilst Parker agrees with selling Maguire and defensive partners Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, he continued: "The place needs a big broom going right the way through it, when you spend over £150 million on three defenders and clean sheets are a rarity.
“Most Man Utd fans would agree with it [offloading Maguire, Shaw and Wan-Bissaka]. Totally agree with it.
“As long as the money goes back in the pot to go out and replace those players or maybe get two defenders and get a player in another position that's fine. For all that money you can get better defenders who'll be able to play the game better for Man Utd for less money."
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