Maguire, an overpaid player at Manchester United since making a record PS80 million move from Leicester City in 2019, has found himself floundering since joining. Yet despite this setback, he remains determined to fight for his spot within the team.
Ten Hag has offered his congratulations for making that move, noting that England centre-back Jonny Evans now is “playing like we want him to”.
1. He was a captain
Maguire found himself at the back of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s pecking order at Man Utd, as Luke Shaw, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez overtook him in importance. But Ten Hag has noted a recent improvement in Maguire’s play; now playing like we want him to he says Maguire is now performing.
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Maguire’s defensive stats reveal he is more proactive when in possession, more willing to step forward for duels, and passing vertically more often – he even won 10 out of 17 aerial duels this season! While these numbers might not earn him back the captaincy at United, they do provide hope that Maguire might get another shot under Ten Hag – that could only benefit England as well!
2. He was a leader
Maguire was an exciting, passionate player who quickly rose through the ranks to captain England – exceeding all expectations and becoming a force everyone wanted to beat. Maguire became an essential piece of England’s success story; becoming their go-to man.
He often ventured forward into the center circle in search of the ball while adding flair and extra excitement to team play. It has become one of his signature moves, using his size to open up defences.
Ten Hag knows his value and doesn’t want him to leave; not least so the club can recoup most of the PS80 million they paid Leicester in 2021 for him. While not an established first-choice centre back (Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof are ahead), Ten Hag is an impressive leader whose comments following England’s loss to Italy on Sunday illustrate this perfectly.
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3. He was a defender
Maguire joined United for a world-record PS80 million fee from Leicester City in 2019. Under Ralf Rangnick and Lisandro Martinez at Leicester, Maguire started every game before Ten Hag took over at centre back; Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw have taken his spot and only 8 Premier League matches have featured Maguire this season.
He boasts an imposing physique and excels against direct opponents, while his height and power make him a good marker at set pieces. But his frail body leaves him vulnerable at times.
Maguire tends to glance first at his teammates before taking notice of the opposition, leaving himself more susceptible to attackers sneaking runs around or behind him. Additionally, his eagerness to dive in and block attempts on goal may take him out of defensive positioning and allow an opponent to attack unimpeded; against more experienced opponents this could prove costly.
4. He was a manager
Ten Hag is firm in his belief that Maguire should not be sold, wanting him to fight for his place instead. But the manager has made clear his preference for Victor Lindelof and Raphael Varane at centre-back.
Maguire has made 175 appearances for United since moving from Leicester for PS80 million in 2019, though under Ten Hag his position has changed to being a substitute. Furthermore, he lost his club captaincy to Bruno Fernandes and has been jeered during games by certain sections of fans.
Maguire remains committed to fighting for his place at Manchester United despite criticism, with two years remaining on his highly lucrative contract. He was man of the match in their 2-1 win at Sheffield United and hopes to show Ten Hag that he can become an effective central defender; England defender Maguire never gave up hope of returning as a starting player and hasn’t given up hope that starting role might return one day soon.