Aheed Abrar
Erik ten Hag backs Manchester United defender Harry Maguire after West Ham United transfer collapse
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has expressed faith in Harry Maguire after his potential move to West Ham United collapsed.
The Hammers had a £30 million offer accepted from the Red Devils for the England international. However, the centre-back was not keen on parting ways with the Old Trafford side as he was unable to come to an agreement regarding the payoff.
Speaking to the media via Manchester Evening News, Ten Hag expressed delight at having the 30-year-old in the squad. However, the gaffer wants to see the former Leicester City star prove himself.
“It’s up to him. He knows what I expect from him. I’ve been here for one year now and you know what I expect from a centre half. And he can do it, I’ve told you many times before he has the ability to do it so now he has to show it.
“It is then about character, to be convinced to play that role, he has all the abilities to do it and it is up to him when the time [opportunity] is there.”
United signed Maguire in the summer of 2019 after his impressive displays for the Foxes as well as the Three Lions. Subsequently, the defender became a key player for us under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and was handed the captaincy.
Unfortunately, the English national has been inconsistent for the Red Devils over the years. The centre-back seems short on confidence wherever he plays for the Old Trafford side.
However, Maguire is still a solid player for Gareth Southgate and showcased that in the 2022 World Cup. However, the defender has been unable to replicate his national form at the club level.
As a result, the English national has lost his place in the team under Ten Hag. In the previous campaign, the centre-back started in just eight matches in the Premier League in the Dutch manager’s first year in charge.
Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane look like the gaffer’s preferred duo at the back. In the first game of the 2023/24 term against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Maguire remained on the bench as Victor Lindelof replaced the Argentine World Cup winner at halftime.
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Therefore, it seems like the former Leicester star has a steep task to get his place back into the team. While a move away is arguably a better option for the English national to attain regular minutes, it remains to be seen whether Ten Hag will give him a chance.
