There are more recent photos of Harry Maguire wearing a training kit and warming up than of him in a Manchester United shirt.
Maguire last started against Sevilla on 20 April at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium and he's been restricted to substitute appearances since that debacle, despite Erik ten Hag being without his first-choice centre-backs.
Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane both picked up injuries in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals against Sevilla, but Maguire has not returned to the starting team since United spectacularly crashed out of the competition.
ALSO READ: Manchester United have three transfer priorities this summer
There have been six games since that disappointing night in Spain and although Maguire has been unavailable for two through suspension and injury, the partnership of Luke Shaw and Victor Lindelof has been preferred.
In the absence of Martinez and Varane, the once-unlikely partnership of Shaw and Lindelof in central defence has been superb, but it says a lot about where Maguire currently is that he could not break into the team over those players.
Shaw is a natural left-back, of course. He's been outstanding when asked to play as a centre-back this season, but that is a position Maguire has played his entire career and it's a damning indictment that Shaw has been picked ahead of him.
The same can be said about the reliable Lindelof. After the World Cup, he was demoted in the pecking order after initially starting the season ahead of Maguire, however, the Swede has managed to rise above him again in recent weeks.
Maguire is essentially the fifth choice in his position because Erik ten Hag would rather play a left-back over him. United are probably the first club in history to have an £80million player to have four players rated ahead of them in their favoured role.
This season always felt like it could be Maguire's last at the club and the last few matches have shown him where he truly stands. Maguire should do the right thing and seek an exit away from Old Trafford in the summer window.
There have been whispers that Maguire could look to fight for his place. He's contracted a the club until 2025, but he must accept he's not at the level to consistently start in a team challenging for the Premier League, which is what Ten Hag wants to do.
Maguire is an excellent centre-back in a particular set of circumstances, which is why he's able to excel for England. His strengths are highlighted on the international stage, whereas his weaknesses tend to be exposed at club level.
Just after turning 30 years old, he still has plenty to offer and it's thought a top-half Premier League club could see the best of him. Maguire will not get the starts he wants at United and he likely knows that his time is nearing an end.
On his return from injury, Varane immediately made the starting line up at the weekend against Wolves and if Maguire was valued, he would have also been subject to a recall against Aston Villa but he was left on the bench instead.
It's been a difficult season for Maguire on an individual basis because he hasn't featured as he would like. He seemingly rose to become a third-choice centre-back at the start of the year, yet he's now back down in the pecking order.
He lifted the Carabao Cup with de facto captain Bruno Fernandes in February and winning that piece of silverware might have given him the closure he needs to move on, as he can leave without the burden of failing to win a trophy.
It seems within everyone's best interests for Maguire to make this season at United his last.
READ MORE:
