Harry Maguire reveals shock pick for the “most underrated” star he’s ever played alongside

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has named Jonny Evans as the most underrated player he has ever lined up with during his career. Maguire discusses United defenders In a club media interview, Maguire shared his thoughts on United’s defensive lineage, citing legends from the club’s history and more recent stalwarts. He particularly discussed Steve Bruce, Rio Ferdinand, Victor Lindelof, Raphael Varane and Evans, explaining what he picked up from each one of them. Maguire revealed that Bruce – who won seven major trophies with United, including three Premier League titles, three FA Cups, the League Cup, and the European Cup Winners’ Cup – was crucial in his decision to join Hull City in July 2014 from Sheffield United. According to Maguire, he was fully aware of the success Bruce enjoyed as a player at Old Trafford and wanted to learn from him. He admitted that Bruce was pivotal in reshaping his mindset, shifting his focus from ball-playing to the core principles of defending. On Ferdinand, Maguire hailed the six-time Premier League winner as a player ahead of his time. He explained that Ferdinand’s exceptional quality on the ball would have made him a standout in any era of the game. Maguire lauded Varane’s leadership abilities, branding the Frenchman as “arguably one of the best defenders in the last 20 years.” Maguire told United media that Varane’s “born winner” mentality and wealth of elite experience made him a vital repository of knowledge. Reflecting on his central-defensive pairing, Maguire pointed out that he and Lindelof consistently achieved strong results, with their statistics at times placing them among Europe’s elite. Maguire was quick to point out that Lindelof may not have received the credit he deserved for his contributions to the club, despite being an “excellent player.” Finally, on Evans, Maguire named the current United coach as the most underrated player he’s shared the pitch with. Maguire’s Evans claim Maguire said about Evans, “He’s a great guy. Really calm, a real good player. When I speak about underrated players, I’d say Jonny, for me, was probably the most underrated player I’ve ever played with. If I was a young boy, or I was teaching someone to watch defending and watch body positioning and watch movement, I’d say: ‘Watch Jonny Evans.’” “He was that good at his body positioning and the way that he’s so active in every part of the game. There are a lot more things to defending than making last-ditch tackles and making big challenges.” “They get the plaudits from the fans, but your body positioning, your footwork, the understanding of where you need to be… and the main thing as a defender, I always say, is being active in every part of the game, and Jonny was the best I’ve played with in terms of that.” He continued, “So he was an excellent player, and obviously coming towards the end when he came back to us at the club. But you could still see his quality. I saw a lot more of his quality obviously when he was at Leicester in his prime. But he was amazing to play with.” Maguire and his teammates are next in action on Sunday when they face league leaders Arsenal at the Emirates. Featured image Shaun Botterill via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!