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Following a whirlwind of transfer rumours regarding his potential departure, Harry Maguire has clarified his stance on Manchester United and his future at the club.
After arriving at Old Trafford in 2019 following a record €87 million transfer from Leicester City, Maguire quickly rose to prominence at Man United, becoming a regular starter at centre-back and eventually being rewarded for his efforts with the club captaincy.
During former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s final season in charge, however, Maguire’s performances dipped, frustrating fans due to his sustained decline.
Maguire’s place in the team was no longer guaranteed once Erik ten Hag took charge, however, with the Dutch manager showing zero tolerance for substandard performances during his first season at the club. In addition to losing his place in the starting 11, Maguire was stripped of the club captaincy, with Ten Hag selecting Bruno Fernandes as his replacement.
Reports began to emerge of Maguire’s potential departure from United last summer. West Ham United emerged as a potential suitor, with the club reportedly submitting a £30 million bid for the English defender. Ultimately, Maguire refused to leave United.
Although Maguire’s performances picked up notably during the past campaign, there has been no shortage of rumours that his exit could still be on the cards. At the start of July, it was reported that United remain open to offers for Maguire, particularly as they look to recruit fresh talent with Leny Yoro already joining the club this summer.
Today, the former United captain made his personal feelings known.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Maguire expressed his desire to remain at United.
Furthermore, he hinted that United see him as a part of their future plans.
Asked if he wants to stay at United, Maguire replied “Unless the club tell me I’m up for sale or I’m not wanted there anymore.
“Everything I’ve heard and the action I’ve been shown from the club, I’m part of the future and it is time to crack on and make this club successful again, challenging for the big trophies,” Maguire stated.
Maguire also shed light on his injury struggles over the second half of the season, calling this the “toughest few months of his career.”
“It was a real tough moment in my career. It was probably the toughest moment in my career to date,” Maguire explained. “To get myself into a position where all year I’ve worked hard to play at the end of the season and to play in these big games, cup finals and then to go to the Euros and try to win the tournament for my country. I felt like I got myself in a great position physically and mentally to go and perform at the highest level, and to face the setback I did with the injury, it was a real tough moment for me.”
Although he may have been injured at the time, Maguire made sure to mention United’s emphatic FA Cup victory last season, regarding it an impressive achievement.
Maguire praised Ten Hag for how he handled the negative press coverage in the build-up to the final, making sure to focus on managing his team and pulling off the hard-fought victory.
“It was really impressive and for the lads to pull off a great performance, the manager and his staff had a big part to play in that cup final victory as well,” Maguire commented.
Aside from reflecting on the past season, Maguire expressed optimism regarding United’s future. “We’ve got new members of staff with Ruud [van Nistelrooy] and Rene [Hake]. Everyone is looking forward to the season and hopefully we make it a successful [one].”
Ultimately, it appears that any approaches by other clubs will be struck down given Maguire’s desire to remain a United player. He will surely be looking to build his form this pre-season in an attempt to convince Ten Hag that he is indeed worthy of a spot in the starting 11 once the season gets underway.
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