This content has been archived. It may no longer be relevant

Harry Maguire, the former Manchester United captain, is apparently no longer interested in leaving because he wants to regain his spot in the team.

Maguire fell down the hierarchy after Erik ten Hag took over at Old Trafford last summer. The favoured centre-back pairing for the Dutchman was Raphael Varane along with Lisandro Martinez. Prior to Maguire, Victor Lindelof and additionally left-back Luke Shaw were used in the centre of defence.

Maguire joined United in the course of the summer of 2019 from Leicester City. He made 31 appearances last season across all competitions, but just 16 of those were starts. This summer, the defender lost his captaincy, which fueled rumours of his probable exit.

The 30-year-old was expected to depart this summer, and West Ham United is said to have made a £30 million bid for him. However, negotiations broke down on personal issues since Maguire might have had to accept a £60,000 weekly pay drop. According to The Athletic, United was even willing to pay him £6 million to make up for his losses.

Despite having an agreement with Manchester United through 2025, Harry Maguire’s decreased playing time past season implies he has lost favour. Ten Hag, however, praised Maguire’s talent and expects him to repeat his England performances at United. Before United’s victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers during their Premier League start, the Dutchman warned that the Englishman must make a choice.

During his appearance in front of the media ahead of the team’s first matchday of the week, the Dutch boss spoke about the centre-back having to fight for his place in the side. He said, “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.”