Manchester United hero urges club to axe Harry Maguire: ‘Move on!’

Harry Maguire is coming to the end of his Manchester United contract and former Red Devils star Paul Parker has urged the club not to offer him a new one.

The centre-back has been at Old Trafford since his £80m move from Leicester City in 2019, making 255 appearances for the club.

His initial six-year contract was due to expire over the summer but Manchester United triggered a 12-month extension.

The 32-year-old is now into the final few months of that contract and the club has a big decision to make on his future.

The England defender has made nine appearances in all competitions so far this season, but is currently out with a thigh problem.

Maguire turns 33 in March and former United defender Parker feels it is time to move on from him at the end of this season.

‘It makes no sense to offer him a deal, because at the end of the day, who’s offering the deal? Is it the manager, or is it because there’s someone who feels a bit sentimental?’ Parker asked UtdDistrict.

‘Sentiment will cost you, and it’s costing Manchester United now with Luke Shaw, but you have to move on. It was said to me about sentiment, and it hurt me, because at the end of the day, I would have accepted sentiment to stay at Manchester United longer.

‘But you look at it, and common sense says “no, the team’s got to go forward.”

‘When you look at young [Ayden] Heaven, you’d look at you’ve got [Lisandro] Martínez back now as well, then you’ve got [Matthijs] de Ligt, then you’ve got [Leny] Yoro, you’ve still got Luke Shaw still under contract and can do a job.

‘No, Harry Maguire, they shouldn’t do it. Let him go off and get regular football somewhere else. If they want to go forward, they need to go forward; they can only go forward in those areas without him.’

Maguire scored the winning goal as Manchester United beat Liverpool at Anfield for the first time since 2016 in October.

Speaking after the dramatic victory he admitted that he does not know if he will play at the iconic ground again for the Red Devils.

‘I’ve been here seven years now, so it’s been tough not getting that win,’ he said. ‘It’s been on my mind a little bit, to be honest.

‘I’m in my last year now, so this could be the last time I played at Anfield for this club, so it’s really important that I’ve come here and ticked that one off.’

Amorim has backed Maguire

Amorim has praised Maguire’s performances this season, feeling he is well-suited to a back three, although would not be drawn on the defender’s future when he was asked in October.

‘We are really happy with Harry,’ Amorim said. ‘It’s not the time to talk about that. That gives the idea that we are thinking so far away. We are really happy with Harry but we need to focus on the next game.’

Amorim added: ‘I think it was good for him to play with three centre-backs. I think he feels more comfortable.

‘Because he plays in the centre, he doesn’t need to go to the side so much. So, sometimes, you help some players with the way you play. Sometimes, it’s the opposite with some players. So, I’m really pleased.

‘I think he’s not young, but he can learn a lot. He can improve. I think it can be so much better with the ball, because he has that quality, and he needs to show that.

‘Nowadays, with the set-pieces that you see, the amount of men that you put in the box, every cross from the opponents, and everyone is playing like that. He’s a massive player for us, so I’m really happy, but he needs to continue. That game is in the past. That goal is in the past. Let’s move forward to the present and the future.’