Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has been told he must leave Old Trafford if he wants to play regular football again.
The England defender lost his starting place in the team under Erik ten Hag this season, and he can’t complain about it because United have defended better without him.
Maguire suffered a dire 12 months before Ten Hag took over as manager and even though he isn’t playing every week, the centre-back has not been in the spotlight as much and this is after becoming a scapegoat at the club.
Well, scapegoat or a mark of mediocrity?
Maguire has made five starts in the Premier League this season and there is an opportunity he could leave in the summer. He must if he plans to play regularly again because I don’t think Ten Hag has any plans for him to be a starter again, unless United suffer injuries between now and the end of the season.
Former United striker Louis Saha believes Maguire’s career is now suffering and that the longer he allows himself to sit on the bench, the worse it will get.
“Harry Maguire must look for a move away from Manchester United because his form is going to drop as he won’t play much,” Saha told PaddyPower, as per The Metro.
“The way United play at the back, dominating and playing forward-thinking football, Maguire takes too many touches, and they lose the opportunity to attract the opponent on to them.
“That’s what happens when your confidence is low. We see it when opponents try to press Raphaël Varane or Lisandro Martínez, they can cope with ease, unlike Maguire.
“It’s difficult seeing the club captain not playing, but he still has a smile on his face. No one will be annoyed at him for wanting to play more minutes as he’s also a very important player for England.
“He needs minutes and his style would suit a team who are very compact defensively and hit teams on the counter. But right now, United need a very composed and agile player at the back, able to maintain the quality going forwards
“If Maguire wants to stay, he has to improve very quickly and take any opportunity he gets in the team. It’s a big challenge for Maguire. He can play for Manchester United but given the players ahead of him in the team, he’s not going to get the minutes he needs if he wants to remain at the top.”
