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Manchester United are reportedly planning to offload Harry Maguire in January to avoid losing him on a free next summer. The veteran English defender's contract expires at the end of the season.
Football Insider reports that the Red Devils desperately don't want to lose Maguire on a free when his current deal expires. They are not looking to activate the option of an extension in his contract.
Manchester United chiefs Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Dan Ashworth plan to find 64-cap England international a new club this winter. He's been at Old Trafford since August 2019, when he arrived from Leicester City in an £80 million deal.
Maguire has been a prominent member of Erik ten Hag's side and has made seven appearances across competitions this season. There had been speculation over his future in the summer of 2023, but he remained with the club.
There is no mention of which clubs are interested in signing the former Hull City centre-back. He was heavily linked with West Ham United two summers ago but a deal collapsed because he wanted to fight for his place at Old Trafford.
Maguire was a standout performer for the Red Devils in a difficult 2023-24 campaign for the club. He helped his side keep six clean sheets in 31 games across competitions while chipping in with four goals and three assists.
Paul Scholes doesn't think Manchester United's Matthijs de Ligt is an upgrade on Harry Maguire
Maguire's place in Manchester United's starting lineup is increasingly in jeopardy since Matthijs de Ligt's arrival this past summer. The Dutch defender reunited with Ten Hag and joined the Reds in a reported £42.7 million deal.
De Ligt has started four of seven games across competitions, helping his side keep four clean sheets. He scored on his second appearance for the Red Devils in a 3-0 away win against Southampton.
The Netherlands international was heavily criticized alongside his teammates for their calamitous display in a 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur (September 29). He and the rest of Ten Hag's defense were torn apart by the visiting Spurs.
Paul Scholes analyzed the game and questioned whether De Ligt was an upgrade on Maguire. The Manchester United legend told SuperSport:
"When you bring players in, you expect them to be a lot better than who you’ve already got. I don’t see players coming in who are a big difference. De Ligt has come in for Maguire, let’s say, but there’s no big difference there. No, absolutely not (he's not an upgrade)."
De Ligt, 25, was touted as one of Europe's most exciting prospects during his time at Ajax under Ten Hag. He's since had spells at Juventus and Bayern that perhaps haven't reached expectations.
