Harry Maguire will need to decide on his future after losing his regular spot in the side, according to Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, who expressed his happiness to having the center back in the team.
The England international has only made eight Premier League starts this season after falling behind Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, and Victor Lindelof. Left back Luke Shaw has also played in center defense.
Maguire cost United 80 million pounds ($101 million) when they acquired him from Leicester City in 2019.
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He then became the most expensive defender in the world. In 2025, his contract is set to expire.
Ten Hag responded to a question concerning Maguire’s future by telling the Times: “Let’s just say I’m glad he’s here and when we needed him, he did his job. But he also needs to make a choice.
The Dutchman admitted that Maguire had played a significant role as club captain and was giving it his all in practice, but he also stated that the player would not be content to sit on the bench going forward.
“No one would be happy with this situation. He is not as well,” he added.
David de Gea, the Spanish goalkeeper who recorded the most clean sheets in the Premier League this year, will continue to play for the team in 2019, but Ten Hag underlined that he will face competition.
“… I will not say he’ll always be my No 1 because in a club like Man United there must be competition in all positions,” he said.’
In Ten Hag’s debut season as manager, United finished third in the league and took home the League Cup. When they play host to champion Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday, they have the opportunity to add another prize.
“I’ve seen many FA Cup finals. The tradition… I’m really looking forward to it,” Ten Hag said. “It’s not about stopping Manchester City, it’s about us winning the FA Cup. We want to build our own legacy and era.”
Since Alex Ferguson led United to their last league triumph in 2012–13, there hasn’t been much to celebrate, but Ten Hag’s technical nous and man-management prowess have contributed to a growing sense of optimism.