‘What he brings’: Ex-CFC star says ‘brilliant’ Man Utd ‘figurehead’ would’ve been a perfect fit at Stamford Bridge

Ex-Chelsea star Jason Cundy believes his former club are crying out for a player like Harry Maguire.It comes after the Manchester United centre-half put pen to paper on a new contract in M16 to keep him tied to the club until 2027, plus the option of an additional 12 months.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING NEWS – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYHow Maguire has fared as of lateIn truth, Maguire has overseen one of the most commendable revivals of any professional in recent years, having gone from being one of the most mocked and targeted players in Europe to being a mainstay for United as they go through yet another rebuild at Old Trafford.It says something that almost three years ago, he was stripped of his captaincy by Erik ten Hag and was poised to join West Ham after United accepted a £30 million bid for his services. Fast-forward to this spring, and the board were adamant about rewarding his form with a new deal.The 33-year-old being restored to the starting XI and playing an integral role in United’s revitalised displays under Michael Carrick also led to Maguire being recalled to the England setup last month.When he played the full 90 minutes of a 1-1 draw with Uruguay on March 27, it marked his first appearance for his nation since September 2024, as well as his first since Thomas Tuchel took the reins.Provided he can continue impressing the German coach from now until the culmination of the campaign, you’d expect him to have done enough to earn himself a seat on the plane to the World Cup this summer.What Cundy had to say about ‘brilliant’ MaguireAmid Chelsea’s recent struggles, which have seen them lose four of their last five league fixtures, Cundy told talkSPORT how a figure like Maguire could have made all the difference for Liam Rosenior this term. Matchweek Result 32 Chelsea 0-3 Manchester City 31 Everton 3-0 Chelsea 30 Chelsea 0-1 Newcastle Utd 29 Aston Villa 1-4 Chelsea 28 Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea “He knows he is not going to start every game, but there’s a reason they kept him. It’s not because he’s the best defender in the world but because of what he brings in terms of experience, personality and leadership,” said Cundy.“Maguire has had a brilliant couple of weeks recently; he’s got himself in the England squad, and there’s a chance he goes to the World Cup. [If] you go back three months, there would have been no chance.“There are moments in games where I look for experience. There’s Moises Caicedo and Marc Cucurella, but in the second half of the game, they did not look like the players I know they are, and the game ended up getting ripped away from us.“At times it’s not just on the pitch but also in the dressing room, there’s no figurehead.”