Maguire makes BOLD Man Utd transfer statement amid exit links
Cameron Smith
- 12 Oct 2023 07:40 BST
- 4 min read
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has admitted that he will contemplate his future at Old Trafford if he does not see an improvement in game time over the coming months.
The 30-year-old has only started one Premier League game so far this season - the dramatic 2-1 win over Brentford on Saturday - with Erik ten Hag favouring other options.
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have been Ten Hag’s preferred centre-back duo since the start of last campaign, while Victor Lindelof appears to be the Dutchman’s third-choice.
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Maguire has, as a result, been left somewhat in the cold at Old Trafford and he was expected to leave the club this summer.
An exit never materialised, however, despite reported interest from West Ham. Maguire has even admitted that a move wasn’t particularly close either. "The actual opportunity to go to West Ham, it wasn't really agreed between both clubs and myself,” he said.
“So it wasn't just my chance to say 'yes' and I'm going. It wasn't agreed between both clubs. 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.
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“My full focus is still on Manchester United. I want to fight for my place, but of course game time is really important to me.”
Now, Maguire has admitted that things must change at Old Trafford or he will look for a move away as he seeks to confirm his place in England’s squad for next summer’s European Championships.
What has Maguire said?
The 30-year-old is currently on England duty during the October international break and he spoke to the media head of the Three Lions’ friendly versus Australia on Friday.
“I am not going to sit here all my life and play once a month. If it carries on I am sure myself and the club will sit down and have a chat about things,” Maguire admitted.
“It's not my decision whether I start the next game for United or not. In a couple of weeks, I'll go back and find out. I have belief in my ability and it's been tough. I want to play games and feel important to the club.
“At the moment, I haven't been playing anywhere near as much as I would like. That is the bottom line.”
Maguire continued by stating why Ten Hag should trust him with a starting berth at Man Utd, citing his impressive win percentage over the past few months. The Englishman has lost only once for club or country in 18 games since the 2022 World Cup.
“I just have to make sure I am ready to take opportunities when they come along,” Maguire added.
“My record under this manager speaks for itself. My win percentage when I've played is ridiculously high.
“If you look back on my last 15 to 20 starts for club and country, I'm really happy with my performances.
“At the moment I am focused on two big games for England and then on fighting to try and win my place back at Manchester United and help the team climb the league.”
