Harry Maguire is expected to stay at Manchester United beyond tonight's transfer deadline.
Maguire has been linked with a late move to Inter Milan but it is understood the defender wants to stay at United and win a trophy.
United are poised to confirm their place in the League Cup final on Wednesday night when they host Nottingham Forest in the semi-final second leg. United are 3-0 up from the first leg.
Also read: United's plans for transfer deadline day
Maguire, 29, is likely to reassess his future in the summer after making only two Premier League starts since United's 4-0 drubbing at Brentford on August 13.
United manager Erik ten Hag favours a partnership of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, with Victor Lindelof effectively the third-choice centre half. Luke Shaw started at centre-back ahead of Maguire in the league wins over Forest, Wolves and Manchester City, as well as the FA Cup defeat of Everton.
Ten Hag is reluctant to reduce United's squad size and would effectively be restricted to three specialist centre-backs if Maguire left. Axel Tuanzebe has recently resumed training after a back injury sidelined him for six months but he is out of contract at the end of the season.
Maguire was slated to start United's first game after the World Cup against Burnley in the League Cup fifth round but he contracted a virus in Qatar that laid him low for around two weeks.
Ten Hag disputed the suggestion Maguire was the fifth-choice centre-back on Friday. "No, he’s not fifth choice. But it’s up to him. I have to say he’s training very well, bringing quality and that is what I expect from all the players in the squad.
"He has to fight for his position and things can change, sometimes also really quickly. I think he is making progress and it’s up to him.
"After the World Cup, he should have played but then he got ill. I can’t do anything about that and he knows that.
"Then you come in a run and he has to wait for his chance - I think those are the laws of football, from top football, from selection.
"Then you have to wait for a change and in the meanwhile make sure you are ready if the chance is there."
United signed Maguire for £80 million from Leicester in August 2019 and he was installed as club captain in January 2020 by then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
READ MORE:
