Harry Maguire ’s Manchester United career might have been handed a final lifeline after manager Erik ten Hag dropped a clear hint that he could be in line for a new role.
The Red Devils captain remains as the most expensive defender in football history but has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford this term. The former Leicester man has made just five Premier League starts throughout the campaign after finding himself behind Raphael Varane and summer signing Lisandro Martinez in the pecking order.
However, Ten Hag has hinted that Maguire could be retained after all as he confirmed that the England star had been training to play a slightly different defensive role under his stewardship; something that was on display in the FA Cup victory over West Ham.
Speaking after the late victory over the Hammers, the Dutchman said: “It is my way of playing, or our way, and it is better. I prefer to have a player with a lot of initiative [at right centre-back] and when you are left-footed you have better angles [at left centre-back].
“Harry can play on the left but right is obviously much better and today [vs West Ham ] we have seen that. He had a good performance, he took initiative in and out of possession, and so he was dominating in defence but in offence he had some really good moments.
“He had good passes, good engagement with opponents and outplaying them. He played a good game.
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“How do we help him with that? In training we give him coaching, we give him instructions. But also not that long ago we showed him a video of how to outplay opponents and how he can have more impact in possession in building up because his skills…he is really high-skilled. For a centre-back he has so many skills. He has to use that in a game.”
With Maguire capable of playing multiple roles throughout the remainder of the season and beyond, that could well signal to Ten Hag that he should be retained. The ex-Leicester man might then be tempted to stay with the club should his game time increase.
Maguire has previously spoken out on his role with the Red Devils and assures that he has Ten Hag’s full confidence but understands the task ahead of him to get into the side. Talking after the Red Devils’ Carabao Cup success, he said: “The manager has been asked numerous times about my role in interviews and he tells me honestly that he believes in me, but this is football.
“The lads who are playing and starting, Raphael [Varane] is playing really well and we've seen the manager's ideas, what he wants, and he does like a left-footed centre-back playing. So it’s high competition for places, but this is Manchester United. We want to win trophies, big trophies, and to do that you need competition.
“The manager speaks to me daily, he really respects me and believes that I'm a top centre-half with all the attributes to play in his team. But also he understands that the players who are playing – and I understand that the players who are playing – are playing very well.”
