Harry Maguire may have won over Ruben Amorim but his stint at Manchester United could’ve ended in the summer of 2023 had his move to West Ham not stalled
Harry Maguire looked to be on the verge of leaving United in 2023(Image: Getty Images)
Manchester United were on the brink of signing French defender Benjamin Pavard two years ago, but the deal was scuppered when Harry Maguire’s move to West Ham fell through.
The England centre-back, who joined the Red Devils in a huge £80million deal from Leicester City in July 2019, has experienced a rollercoaster ride at Old Trafford, with his performances drawing criticism from United legend Roy Keane and frustrating sections of supporters.
By the summer of 2023, it seemed Maguire’s time at United was coming to an end. Under former manager Erik ten Hag, the then 32-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements and even stripped of the club captaincy, with Maguire later addressing his struggles.
Sky Sports reported that United had agreed a £30m deal to sell Maguire to West Ham. However, the transfer collapsed as the Hammers grew frustrated with drawn-out negotiations. This is despite having agreed personal terms with Maguire, with the player later speaking out over the failed move.
The collapsed transfer had significant repercussions for United. They needed the £30m from Maguire’s sale to secure Pavard, who was in the final year of his contract at Bayern Munich and wanted out amid United’s interest.
Sky claim a deal was “ready to go” for him. But that never materialised as a result, and he has since moved to Inter Milan.
That summer, United had already splashed out nearly £200m on Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund. With Financial Fair Play regulations limiting their spending, they couldn’t afford Pavard, now 29, without first receiving the funds from Maguire’s sale.
Benjamin Pavard, then at Bayern Munich, was of interest to United in the summer of 2023(Image: A. Beier/Getty)
Ruben Amorim’s arrival in November 2024 appeared to signal yet another potential conclusion to Maguire’s United journey. Nevertheless, the Sheffield-born defender battled his way back into contention and proved he could still compete at the highest level, despite United’s disappointing 15th-place Premier League finish last term.
Such is Amorim’s confidence in the centre-back that reports indicate he’s prepared to retain Maguire despite widespread speculation linking him with a move away. The situation is further complicated given the former Leicester City man’s contract expires next summer, leaving him free to negotiate with foreign clubs from January.
In a remarkable demonstration of trust from Amorim, the ex-Sporting CP manager has even named Maguire in a six-man leadership collective, alongside Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Tom Heaton, Noussair Mazraoui and captain Bruno Fernandes.
According to The Mail, Maguire is eager to sign a new deal that would allow him to see out his playing days at United. The club are reportedly content with such an arrangement, though negotiations have yet to commence.
Maguire has been included in the Red Devils’ leadership group(Image: Getty Images)
Maguire’s revival at United has been nothing short of extraordinary, with United icon Rio Ferdinand recently describing it as though the player had “come back from the dead.”
The former England international also revealed he’d spoken to Maguire about his struggles at Old Trafford. “We had the tough questions like that, what’s it like you having criticism? And someone who risen from the dead almost, shown character,” Ferdinand said.
“He was down and out, but he’s come back. So to show that character and resilience, it was nice to just get beneath the skin and talk with him about it.”
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