Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim is reportedly ‘desperate’ to keep Harry Maguire at the club as the centre-back nears the end of his contract at Old Trafford.
Maguire was stripped of the captaincy and put on the transfer market during the reign of Amorim’s predecessor Erik ten Hag, but regained favour under the Dutchman at the end of his time at the club having decided to remain and fight for his place despite nearly moving to West Ham in the summer of 2023.
The England international became the most expensive defender in the world when he made his £80m switch from Leicester in 2019 and has since made 221 appearances for the club.
It was assumed that United were willing to let Maguire’s contract run down, allowing him to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season, but GIVEMESPORT now claim that Amorim is ‘putting pressure’ on the club bosses to take up the option of extending his stay by a further 12 months.
The Portuguese boss has ‘pinpointed him as one of the more reliable members of the dressing room since heading into the dugout’ and ‘wants the hierarchy to act before overseas suitors can attempt to tie him down to a pre-contract agreement from January 1’.
Maguire has started United’s last three Premier League games at the heart of defence, with consecutive defeats against Bournemouth and Wolves not putting the head coach off the idea of keeping him at the club beyond the summer, with Amorim ‘prepared to trust him during a period of transition as he aims to turn the Premier League giants’ fortunes around’.
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‘There is an awareness behind the scenes that allowing him to leave without securing a fee for his services would be deemed a poor piece of business’ given the club bought him for such a hefty fee and the report claims that United are now ‘very likely’ to extend Maguire’s contract.
While Maguire looks set to stay, the future of fellow England international Marcus Rashford remains up in the air after the forward revealed his desire for a “new challenge” having been dropped for the Manchester derby.
Rashford hasn’t made a matchday squad since but transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims he may be brought back into the fold as the club struggles to find willing buyers of the wantaway star.
Asked whether Rashford will be seen in a United shirt again, Romano said: “It will depend on him… at the moment, Amorim and his staff are not happy with training sessions and approach. So the situation remains open. For January, it will depend on proposals. Nothing is concrete or advanced at the moment, but it can change in the next weeks. It’d keep doors open to January exit.”
