Manchester United’s post-season outing vs ASEAN All-Stars might not have been positive in terms of result but many youngsters got a chance to shine, with one taking it in particular.
Arguably the biggest success story from a wretched season for Man Utd is the resurgence of Harry Maguire from the ashes of trolling and ignominy.
Maguire has overcome difficult moments to become a leader again at Old Trafford, one of the few players who can hold their head high after the 2024/25 season.
Against ASEAN All-Stars as well, he played with the professionalism that the Man Utd jersey deserves regardless of the stakes.
Therefore, Ruben Amorim will be extremely happy that he might just have found his next Harry Maguire in the 6’4″ titan who shone in the same game.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Man Utd’s next Harry Maguire is Daniel Armer
A major reason why Maguire always finds his way back into the team, besides his utmost professionalism, is because his skill set isn’t replicated in the team anywhere.
Outside of maybe Matthijs de Ligt, who arrived just last summer and settled in his new surroundings, nobody combines his level of physicality with courage on the ball and passing ability.
Add to that his set-piece dominance and deceptively good dribbling skills, and Maguire becomes the complete centre-back, only lacking pace while running towards his own goal.
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Against ASEAN All-Stars Maguire displayed all those qualities and then, he was taken off for the man who could take his place in two years’ time.
Daniel Armer came on to replace Maguire, a substitution that might well be poetic in a few years and shone in limited minutes.
Armer's most prized asset is his composure and technique on the ball. With an expansive and varied range of passes, executed with minimal angle bias, reliable accuracy and top-class selection.
Daniel is highly regarded internally, having already made his under-21 debut. pic.twitter.com/aImexXXzeO
— SCOOP. (@AcademyScoop) August 3, 2024
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He took the right-sided centre-back position and dominated his duels, leveraging his physicality to compete in the air and be a nuisance on set-pieces.
Standing at 6’4″ with a few months of growth ahead (He turns 18 in October), Armer kept it simple in possession with short, straightforward passes.
He’s shown while playing U18s football that he can mix it up on the ball as well, completing those cross-field passes to find the wingers running in behind.
As the right-footed, physical centre-back, he can be United’s replacement for Maguire, with Ayden Heaven and Godwill Kukonki occupying the left-footed, left-sided centre-back role.
A crucial pre-season for Daniel Armer
Unlike Heaven, or even Kukonki, who are left-footed, United are well-stocked in the right-footed centre-back position.
Despite Victor Lindelof’s departure, United have Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, and Matthijs de Ligt who are all right-footed and first-choice players when fit.
Therefore, it is difficult to see an imminent breakthrough for Armer, as exciting a prospect as he is.
He has taken a nice first step by impressing in this tour game, and he will hope to do the same in the next one against Hong Kong too, but that is when the true struggle begins.
Armer should use the next pre-season as the time to leave a mark on Ruben Amorim, before a six-month loan to an English league side in January gives him his first senior football experience.
Impress then, and anything can happen in the summer of 2026, especially as that is when Maguire’s current contract ends, with the player turning 33.
Armer’s future is bright.