Harry Maguire opens up on his future at Manchester United
Harry Maguire’s Manchester United career has been full of ups and downs over the past few years. At one point, he had lost confidence, but in the last year and a half, the English defender has re-established his image at Old Trafford. He is considered a key player in Ruben Amorim’s plans, yet he had to sit on the bench behind Matthijs de Ligt in the first match of the new Premier League season against Arsenal. This raises many questions about where the future of both the club and the player can go.
Maguire’s thoughts and his future
Maguire spoke to reporters about his situation during an event at Stretford High School. He said that last year the club activated the one-year extension clause in his deal, so he had no choice. The 32-year-old also made it clear that this time the case is different, as his contract will expire at the end of the season. He indicated that the club had blocked him from moving elsewhere in the summer, while some clubs had also inquired about his availability.
The defender said that after the arrival of the new club management and Ruben Amorim, the structure of the team have improved. Maguire said that he is now confident about his game and form. The 32-year-old admitted that he had a bad phase of only six months, while the rest of the time he kept performing well.
Harry Maguire opens up on his future at Manchester United.
Harry Maguire (Via X)
He, meanwhile, believes that he has performed much better in the last two and a half years, and now he feels a strong bond with both the club and the fans. Maguire also said that it is not easy to leave a team like Manchester United, and it is still a matter of pride for him to be a part of this club. (Via Manchester Evening News).
“Last year, the clause was in their hands, so there was no option for me there. There was no talking. It was just that they activated it, and it got extended. This year, obviously I’m up at the end of the year.”
“I’m pretty sure the club have made it aware this summer that I can’t leave the club on any terms with other clubs enquiring about my things and my position with my contract.”
“I’m sure over the next few months they’ll sit down and we’ll have to have a conversation about where we want to go and if they want to extend, or obviously the transfer window will open again in January.”
“Obviously, I have something in my mind about what I want to do and what I want to be. I don’t want to put it out there to everybody, but it’s an amazing club to play for and you’d be silly if you wanted to jump out of it as soon as you could.”
“Yes, I think there were a couple of clubs who maybe enquired or spoke with them and I think they got a quick response.”
“Like I said, we’re in a good place, positive as a club and I feel like the hierarchy has come in and Jason [Wilcox] and the manager, I feel like they’re taking it in the right direction.”
“I think it’s been, since I started six years ago to where it is now, it’s in a completely different place in terms of the structure behind the management staff.”
“I feel in a good place. It’s been a couple of years now where I feel like I’ve played really well for this club again. I only had six months really where I had a bad dip of form. The previous two years was excellent. I’ve been a lot better in the last two-and-a-half years.”
“Now I’m in a good place. I’m in a good place with the club and the fans. I’ve got a real good bond with them and it’s a real special place to play. It’s a huge privilege and honour to play for this club and it’s something that I’ll always be forever grateful for.”
What should United do?
Now the question is what should Manchester United do with him. Maguire’s recent performance has been better and his intention to remain in the club is also clear, so the option of giving him a new contract before January may seem right. However, on the other hand, sitting on the bench against Arsenal makes it clear that Amorim may prefer Matthijs de Ligt in the future, which will raise questions about Maguire’s role. If that happens, the Englishman may consider his options in January.
As far as his poor form is concerned, the club should not ignore it, but his comeback and current confidence should be given more importance. United’s defence needs experience and Maguire can still provide that stability. In our opinion, the club should start talking to him and make a clear plan. Maguire can be useful in the long term if he is given the trust, but if his role diminishes, a different path may open up in January. Meanwhile, there were reports earlier that Manchester United rejected approaches from five clubs for him.