'I am sure': £36m Man Utd star looking forward to playing his best football under Ten Hag
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has said that he will be back to playing his best football with a new manager at the helm.
The centre-back had a difficult 2021/22 campaign with United. He was guilty of multiple defensive errors – a few of them contributed to the opposition finding the back of the net.
As a result, there has been regular criticism from some United fans, but Maguire is confident of putting things right soon. He is looking forward to working with Erik ten Hag.
He told reporters via The Times: “I’m sure I’ll be back to playing my best football very soon. We have a new manager in , one that we are really looking forward to working with.”
“This season has been a challenging part of my career but during a career of 10 or 15 years, if you want to play at the top, you’re going to have ups and downs.
“You’re going to have critics, concede goals, make mistakes and go through spells of being under pressure to deliver performances. This is that season for me.”
Our view:
Maguire’s performances were below-par during the previous campaign. This has led to questions over his leadership role. It won’t be a surprise if Ten Hag picks a new club captain.
Meanwhile, United are hot on the trail of a new central defender. Ajax’s Jurrien Timber obviously appears the prime target with Ten Hag having worked on his development.
The Dutchman has made terrific progress. He has been good with his tackling and interceptions, but has also excelled with his ball-playing ability. He completed 92 per cent of his passes last term.
If United were to sign him, he could be integrated straight into the starting XI despite being only 20. This would raise serious questions over Maguire’s position as Raphael Varane is likely to be picked over him.
The last thing Maguire would want is to sit on the bench in a World Cup year. He is an undisputed starter with England, but will be eyeing regular minutes ahead of their campaign in Qatar.
It remains to be seen whether the £36 million-rated star can revive his old form. Relieving him from his captaincy could have a positive effect. Whether he would be a regular starter is debatable.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com and WhoScored.com
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