Krishnan Sreekumar
Manchester United backed to axe skipper Harry Maguire in the summer by Paul Parker
Speaking to Express Sport in conjunction with bettingexpert, former Manchester United star Paul Parker was of the opinion that United need to sell defender Harry Maguire in the summer after what has been a tough season for the club captain this term.
The England international has not had the best of times this term with the Red Devils, often finding himself out of position or unable to keep up with forwards. Quite a few times, we have seen strikers skip past Maguire like he isn’t there.
Parker, who won 2 Premier League titles with United, said that his former side was better off with a player who was more agile and better in one-on-one situations than Maguire and talked about how a defensive change needs to be the starting point next season.
“You’re talking about players who are definitely more agile, a little bit quicker, better defenders in one against one situations and I think you have to look at it that way. I don’t know if it’s going to happen. Me, personally, for United to go forward, that’s the starting area.”
Much was expected of Maguire when he moved to Manchester from Leicester City, as the club made him the world’s most expensive defender in the summer of 2019. His performances for England in the 2018 World Cup catapulted him to fame, and the Red Devils grabbed the opportunity to sign him.
“Think about it”
Despite being appointed as the club captain within a year of his arrival, coming to Old Trafford with such a high price tag on his head seems to have weighed down on the 28-year-old. This season especially, his body language has looked poor due to his performances on the pitch.
Parker said that the club needs to drop Maguire as soon as possible, and instead have Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof as the side’s first-choice defensive pair. The duo took to the field last weekend together as United kept a clean sheet against Watford.
“If United, in my opinion, were to get somewhere near to their money back on Harry Maguire, I think they’ll have to think about it. I think [Victor] Lindelof and [Raphael] Varane, you know, they could build something on there maybe, in a mode of what they’re looking for and where the club wants to be.”
The previous summer saw us splash the cash to sign Varane from Real Madrid, expecting the experienced Frenchman to slot in alongside Maguire as our go-to centre-back pairing. However, neither has been sensational this season, although Varane has brought in some stability to the side.
Against Watford, many United fans would argue that Lindelof and Varane made a better defensive partnership than any combination with Maguire involved. Although he was rested for the game against the Hornets, the fact that he remains the skipper of the side would see him brought back to the fold for our next game.
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The Maguire conundrum is certainly something of an issue for interim manager Ralf Rangnick at the moment. Such a consistent performer for England, the player seems to have trouble recreating that form for his club.
All eyes will be on Rangnick on Sunday to see if the German brings back Maguire to the starting lineup against Manchester City for the derby at the Etihad Stadium. Lindelof and Varane’s combination proved to be effective last weekend, but against a strong side like City, the manager may want his best players out on the pitch to prove themselves. Perhaps this may be the opportunity for the skipper to grab and turn his season around.
