Manchester United star does U-turn on exit and is ready to fight for place in Erik ten Hag's side - Reports
Manchester United's wantaway defender Harry Maguire is reportedly not keen on an exit anymore, as he wants to win back his place in the side.
Following the arrival of Erik ten Hag at the Old Trafford helm last summer, Maguire slipped down the pecking order. Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez became the Dutchman's preferred center-back pairing. Victor Lindelof, and even left-back Luke Shaw, were played in central defense ahead of Maguire.
Arriving from Leicester City in the summer of 2019, Maguire made 31 appearances across competitions for United last season but started only 16. The defender was stripped of captaincy this summer, fuelling reports of his impending departure.
The 30-year-old was widely tipped to leave this summer, with West Ham United reportedly submitting a £30 million offer for the player. However, talks stalled over personal terms, as Maguire would have had to take a pay cut of £60,000 per week. United were even prepared to offset his losses with a payout of £6 million, per The Athletic.
Eventually, the deal seems to have broken down, per David Ornstein of The Athletic, who tweeted:
"Harry Maguire will not be joining West Ham. Man Utd would have needed to replace + short on time. Ten Hg sees 30yo as important squad member & happy for him to fight for a place. Defender did not agree terms with WHUFC & settled at MUFC."
What Erik ten Hag has said about Harry Maguire's Manchester United future
Harry Maguire has a contract with Manchester United till 2025, but his reduced game time last season suggests he has fallen out of favor with the manager.
Nevertheless, Ten Hag spoke well of Maguire's ability and wants him to replicate his England form at United. The Dutchman said before United's 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in their Premier League opener that the Englishman has a decision to make: fight for his place or leave:
"He has to fight for his place. He has the ability to be first choice centre-back. He is the best for England, so why shouldn’t he be the best for us — he has to prove it. When he is not confident enough to fight. then he has to make a decision and go."
Maguire has featured in 175 games for Manchester United across competitions, also scoring seven goals and providing five assists.