Phone call from Erik ten Hag finally puts Harry Maguire in his place at Man Utd

Harry Maguire’s Manchester United career looks all but over after calls from Erik ten Hag and Dan Ashworth.

The England defender has seen his future grow increasingly uncertain over recent seasons. He was stripped of the club captaincy by Ten Hag and has seen his opportunities dwindle.

And now, he could see his minutes decrease even more next season. Man United are committed to signing a new centre-back this summer.

The Red Devils have already seen a bid rejected for Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, while Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt is a major target. And Ten Hag has already revealed that Maguire will be dropping down the pecking should the Dutchman arrive.

Mirror Football understands that Ten Hag has already held talks with his compatriot De Ligt was told that he is seen as a new defensive rock to build the side around.

Ten Hag is planning to use him alongside Lisandro Martinez in a 4-3-3 formation next season. That has left De Ligt determined to force through a move after Euro 2024 – the Netherlands having reached the semi-finals where they will play England.

While De Ligt appears sure to be on the move, Maguire now faces a tricky decision. The 31-year-old made just 18 Premier League starts last term and has just a year remaining on his contract.

The Red Devils’ new sporting director Dan Ashworth is also ready to sell. He is desperate to not lose an asset that the club paid £80m for for nothing next summer.

Who else should Man United sign this summer? Share your thoughts in the comments below

Reports previously claimed that United were willing to use Maguire in a potential swap deal for Branthwaite. West Ham were previously admirers but won’t renew their interest after signing Wolves captain Max Kilman for £40m.

Speaking about his failed move to the London Stadium last season, Maguire said: “The actual opportunity to go to West Ham wasn’t agreed really between both clubs and myself. So it wasn’t just my chance to say, Yes and I’m going’. It wasn’t agreed between both clubs so the actual opportunity wasn’t there because we didn’t get far enough down the line with it.

“But West Ham is a massive club. But like I said my full focus is still on Manchester United, I want to fight for my place but of course regular game time is really important to me.”

Speaking about Maguire’s future last term, Ten Hag admitted he was pleased the defender stayed at Old Trafford. He said: “We were always very happy with Harry Maguire, but he wants to play. He’s a great leader, he’s a very good defender and very comfortable on the ball.

“When I count all of those abilities, on our defending line we have problems, he is even more important to lead that line and to make us play from the back. We are very pleased he is there and we need him to get our results and achieve our targets.”

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.