Soccer
Harry Maguire confident of securing new Manchester United deal
Harry Maguire is confident of agreeing a new deal with Manchester United but the England defender stressed he would not want to stay at the club just for “sentimental” reasons.
The 33-year-old has been an ever-present since Michael Carrick took charge in January, with the centre-back helping the side rise to third in the Premier League and earning an international recall in the process.
Maguire is part of Thomas Tuchel’s final squad before he makes his selection for the World Cup, where his United contract is due to expire midway through the tournament.
But talks are advancing on a new deal, the Press Association understands, and the towering centre-back is ready to stay with the club he joined from Leicester for £80million in 2019.
“I think there’s been talks,” Maguire said. “I think we’ll reach an agreement where it’s best for the club and myself.
“What that agreement is, I’m sure you’ll find out over the next few weeks. But, yeah, I think it’ll get sorted sooner rather than later, whether I stay or leave. But I think it will – it should – get sorted pretty soon.”
Put to him United appears to be in his heart, he said: “Yeah, I love this club. But it’s got to be right for myself, it’s got to be right for the club as well.
“I don’t want to be staying on a sentimental value. I want to be staying because I want to be there and the club want me to drive the club forward still, and they feel like I’ve got a big part to play in it.
“And if that’s the case, then I’m sure we’ll sit down and reach something.”
Maguire joked he has a “long time off” to sort things out following his red card in Friday’s 2-2 draw at Bournemouth – a “bad end to a good day” that saw his England return confirmed.
The defender is full of praise for the work done by United boss Carrick, including the “smooth” transition to a back four from a three that had not worked effectively under Ruben Amorim.
“I don’t really have much bad to say about Ruben,” Maguire said ahead of Friday’s friendly against Uruguay. “I really like Ruben, I think he’s got great ideas. The ideas just didn’t work at Manchester United.
“I do believe he’ll go on and have an amazing career and his next club he’ll probably go and win many, many football matches.
“It just didn’t click or work and I think us as players have got to take a lot of responsibility for that as well.
“But I think he has led the club in a direction – and I do think he deserves a lot of credit for that – where he’s built a good, solid squad.”
Maguire prefers a back four as it allows him to be a more aggressive, front-footed defender, while the formation switch has seen midfielder Kobbie Mainoo return to the fold.
The 20-year-old had until recently looked more likely to head out on loan in January than be gearing up for a shot at a World Cup spot, but he too has returned to the England set-up after 18 months away.
Maguire said of “magnificent” Mainoo, who is also in talks over new terms: “I’m sure there are areas that he wants to improve and he still can improve, because he’s so young, really, for what he’s been through.
“He’s been through a lot in his short career where he’s probably thinking, ‘I need to get out and go and play some games’.
“To be back in with a chance of being at a World Cup is a great turnaround for him.”
