Ten Hag’s Verdict: Harry Maguire’s Future Hangs in the Balance at Man Utd

Harry Maguire, the long-standing cornerstone of Manchester United’s defence, has been granted permission to seek new pastures by manager Erik ten Hag. As reported by Football Transfers, the Old Trafford boss admits the ball is now in the defender’s court.

Maguire’s Struggles at Old Trafford

Maguire’s tenure at Old Trafford since Euro 2020 has been a series of misfortunes, replete with errors and disappointment. His 2021-22 season was riddled with missteps and by the current campaign, he had fallen out of favour in Ten Hag’s line-up. In his stead, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez emerged as Ten Hag’s first-choice centre-backs.

The England international’s playing time dwindled, his performance often underwhelming. Two glaring mistakes in the Europa League quarter-final defeat to Sevilla only added to his woes. Maguire’s woes deepened, with his role demoted to the club’s fifth-choice centre-back, behind even Luke Shaw, a left-back by trade, who was preferred over him during Martinez and Varane’s absence.

Ten Hag’s View on Maguire

Erik ten Hag addressed Maguire’s predicament candidly in an interview with The Times.

“He has high competition there with Raphael Varane, who’s fantastic,” he noted. “No-one would be happy with this situation [not playing]. He’s not as well. He trains always on best levels, with 100 percent effort.”

Continuing his praise for the beleaguered skipper, Ten Hag acknowledged his importance to the squad and his commitment, but also underscored the decision at hand for Maguire, stating, “he handles that situation well and he’s in that manner and in his captaincy he’s important for the squad… when we needed him he did his job, but it’s also a decision he has to make [over whether he leaves].”

Maguire’s Likely Exit and Legacy

As for the upcoming FA Cup final showdown against Manchester City, Maguire, who arrived from Leicester in a record-breaking deal for a defender in 2019, isn’t expected to make the starting eleven. With his position in the England national team for Euro 2024 in jeopardy, the 30-year-old stalwart is likely to exit in the summer.

During his spell at Manchester United, Maguire has clocked up 175 appearances, netting the ball seven times. Despite recent hardships, his contribution to the club remains commendable.