“If Michael stays on, Harry …”: Wes Brown insists defender’s future will only go one way if Carrick stays

Former Manchester United defender Wes Brown has made it clear where he stands on Harry Maguire’s future amid speculation that the club may not offer the star a new deal when his current contract ends in June. Brown was speaking to The Peoples Person in an exclusive interview hosted by Betwright. We asked the five-time Premier League winner whether he believes the club should keep Maguire at Old Trafford. “I love Harry,” he beamed. “If Michael [Carrick] stays on, then Harry is your guy.” Brown admitted there is a lot of cover in the right centre-back position. “I think the problem you’ve got is you do have De Ligt and Yoro. I probably mean more De Ligt on this one because he was injured and he’s still injured. I think Yoro, for me, will be a fantastic centre-back, and he is now.” “But Harry is at the pinnacle of his career. He knows exactly what he’s doing, he’s been doing this for many years. He understands the game.” The comeback king Brown expressed his admiration for how Maguire had come back after a long period of poor form. “He went through a really bad time, 18 months [with abuse] from a lot of fans,” he said. “But the character to come back from that and still perform how he’s performing now!” “And obviously, he hadn’t played for a while as well before he came back here. He’s absolutely exceptional.” The former centre-back said Maguire could walk into any other club if Manchester United don’t tie him down. “I would say to Harry he’d have no problem getting another club if that was the case. But I would love to see Harry there [at United]. I want to see them all there battling it out. Because at some point, De Ligt’s going to come back, he’s going to get back in the team and he’s going to get the chance too.” “If you’re playing well, you should stay in the team. But he’s [De Ligt] been exceptional alongside Martínez as well.” Does a lack of pace matter? We asked Brown whether he thinks Maguire’s lack of pace might be an issue going forward. “Everyone talks about the pace,” he said. “Now, don’t get me wrong, when that ball gets played down the side, he’s probably not going to get there first. But believe me, he’s going to get himself in the right position. But he’s smart enough to not get himself in that position as well. That’s what people don’t understand.” “But yeah, you’ve got quick players. If you’re asking Harry and one of the fastest players to chase a ball over the top, is he going to get there first? Probably not. But defending is not just about that. It’s about reading the game, the timing of stuff, getting in the right position before the other person does. And honestly, he’s excellent at it. He wins everything in the air in defence and attacking. And he’s good on the ball. For his size, he’s excellent on the ball. And he and Martinez, at the moment, are really showing that.” The first part of our exclusive interview with Wes Brown can be read here. The next part, about a possible future for Marcus Rashford under Michael Carrick, will be published here tomorrow. Featured image Carl Recine 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 Red Billy Red Billy is the managing editor of The Peoples Person, author of three books and two magazines and totally obsessed with football’s transfer market. Billy first saw United live in 1971, watching George Best, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law, before becoming a League Match ticket book holder from 1975/76 and a writer since 1995. Billy still insists Matteo Darmian and Alex Telles could have made it at United given half a chance.