Harry Maguire finds himself at a crossroads in his career at Manchester United, and he has candidly recognized that he may have to consider departing the club if his situation remains unchanged. The central defender has also hinted at the stark contrast in how he is perceived by his international manager, Gareth Southgate, and United’s head coach, Erik ten Hag.
When asked about similarities between Southgate and ten Hag, Maguire remarked, “Erm, I wouldn’t say there was too much similar.” Indeed, as far as Maguire is concerned, there is a glaring distinction between the two managers: one holds him in high regard, while the other seemingly does not.
Maguire’s future at Man Utd is still very uncertain
Although Maguire has refrained from publicly questioning his club’s manager, it’s evident that his fall from grace at Old Trafford has left him perplexed and troubled. He points to Manchester United‘s recent record when he’s in the team as evidence of his value and the reason he believes he should be chosen more frequently.
Maguire stated, “If you look back on my last 15-20 starts for club and country, I would be happy to sit here and say I’m really happy with my performances. My record under this manager (Ten Hag) speaks for itself. I haven’t started as many games as I would like, but my win percentage when I’ve played is ridiculously high.”
He added, “But I’m just wanting to help the team, I’m wanting to help the team get out of this position we’re in at the moment.”
Harry Maguire is adamant he is still contributing to Manchester United
Maguire recently made his first Premier League start of the season, contributing an assist that led to a dramatic last-minute victory against Brentford at Old Trafford. However, with Raphael Varane returning to full fitness during the international break, there’s a possibility that Maguire will once again find himself on the sidelines for the next Premier League match against Sheffield United.
The situation appears to be wearing on Maguire’s patience. He expressed his desire to compete for his place, emphasizing the importance of game time to him. However, he acknowledged, “It’s not my decision whether I start the next game or not. I’m unsure about that. In a couple of weeks, I’ll go back and find out.”
He further stated, “It has been tough, I want to play games, I want to feel important to the club and to the rest of the team. At the moment, I haven’t been playing anywhere near as much as I would like. That is the bottom line.”
While Maguire denied turning down a potential move to West Ham in the summer, he made it clear that he would contemplate leaving Old Trafford if his situation doesn’t improve soon. He emphasized his desire for more playing time and minutes on the pitch, saying, “I am not going to sit here all my life and play once a month, and if it carries on, I am sure myself and the club will sit down and have a chat. I want to play minutes, I want to play football.”
Maguire continues to receive regular playing time under Southgate, who clearly values his qualities more highly than Ten Hag does. He acknowledged that Southgate instills great belief and confidence in him to perform for the national team.
