Harry Maguire forces Man Utd to abandon January plans to sign centre back

Carlo Garganese

• 25 Oct 2023 09:35 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester United have scrapped their search for a new centre back during the January transfer window amidst Harry Maguire’s return to form.

United were in the market for a new central defender after a disastrous start to the season during which they conceded 20 goals in their first 11 games in all competitions.

An injury crisis in defence also increased the need to sign new stoppers, and United began working on bringing in a reinforcement.

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The two top names on their shortlist were Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo and Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio.

However, according to Football Insider, United have now abandoned talks to sign either of the two defenders.

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A lack of finances and the uncertainty surrounding United’s takeover is a key reason for this development.

However, Maguire’s return to form has also played a key role in United no longer deciding to sign a centre back in January.

Maguire has returned to the starting XI and put in two fantastic performances over the last days.

He was man-of-the-match in Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League win at Sheffield United, even earning praise from manager Erik ten Hag in the process.

And Maguire then scored the winner with a late header to give United a crucial 1-0 Champions League group stage win over Copenhagen at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

That result means that United are back in with a chance of qualifying for the last-16.

Maguire was transfer listed by Man Utd this past summer after falling well down the pecking order at Old Trafford.

Maguire has endured two miserable past years for Man Utd, ever since Euro 2020.

After an error-prone 2021-22 season, he finally lost his place in the first team during the 2022-23 campaign as manager Ten Hag preferred Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez as his centre back pairing.

Maguire also started the current season down the pecking order but an injury crisis saw him return to the fold. He has now returned to form and will hope to keep his first-team place.

Maguire joined Man Utd from Leicester in a world record deal for a defender in 2019.