A MANCHESTER UNITED legend has urged the club to be “ruthless” and get rid of Harry Maguire.
And Chelsea have been urged to sign the 31-year-old defender as a replacement for Thiago Silva after he returned to Brazil.
The 52-year-old Dwight Yorke achieved legendary status at Manchester United after joining them from Aston Villa in 1998.
He played a huge role in their 1999 Treble-winning side under Sir Alex Ferguson and added another two league titles to his collection.
Yorke moved to Blackburn in 2002 then went to Birmingham City and Sydney FC in Australia before returning to England and finishing his playing days at Sunderland aged 37.
He has since embarked on a successful coaching career in Australia, although he is looking for a new team, but he always keeps an eye on things at Old Trafford.
After Erik ten Hag kept his job and huge upheaval above him, the Red Devils have been busy in the transfer market so far this summer.
Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee arrived from Bologna for £36.5m to become their first new arrival.
That was followed by the signing of Leny Yoro, who made an instant impression on his debut following his £52m switch from Lille last week.
United tried to sell Maguire last year but he battled back and produced some brilliant displays under Ten Hag.
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But injury scuppered his chance to play for England at Euro 2024 and now he has entered the final 12 months of his contract, meaning he could walk away for nothing next year.
Speaking to Premier League Betting, Yorke said: “Harry Maguire could sit out the last year of his contract and know he’s going to play at some point due to injuries, but United really need to be ruthless and get rid of him.
“They have Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof and maybe Leny Yoro, but Harry Maguire is in the position that he doesn’t have to go anywhere if he doesn’t want to.
“The opportunity had passed to get rid of him because he so desperately wanted to be at Euro 2024 and he would have done anything to play.
“That was the time to move him so he could get regular football. So that opportunity passed and he’s still there.”
Yorke then touted Chelsea as a potential destination, saying: “I think we need to freshen things up at United and bring new faces in and take the future of the football club forward rather than backwards.
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“Having said that, Maguire has shown that he is very capable of playing at the highest level still and elite clubs like Chelsea, who are trying to rebuild, might take a chance on Maguire.
“He can clearly still play at the level and a fresh start might just give him that injection to really perform again for another year or two at that top level. So you never know.
“I played until I was 36 so I’m never going to write someone off if they’re still in their early 30s. He’s still got the attributes to do that.
“I think players do improve if the team is doing well and winning football matches, football becomes very easy to play.
“Football is only difficult when things are not going particularly well and then you realise who is really good and who isn’t.
“This is one of my first opportunities to address Manchester United fans since joining the club as sporting director on 1 July, so I want to start by saying how delighted I am to be here.
“Although I grew up in Norfolk, I’ve always had a strong attachment with Manchester because my mum and dad were born in Middleton and my grandparents lived their whole lives there.
“When I visited as a boy, my dad would take me to games across Greater Manchester and I remember the thrill of my first visit to Old Trafford in the late 1970s, watching the likes of Lou Macari, Jimmy Nicholl and Arthur Albiston.
“I can’t claim to have been a partisan United fan – my dad enjoyed watching all the local teams – but I remember the special buzz that always seemed to surround games at Old Trafford, and it’s something I have experienced many times since during my career in football.
“So it’s going to be an incredibly proud moment entering the directors’ box on the home side for the first time when the Premier League season gets under way against Fulham on August 16. The close season is always a reset moment for every club, but the sense of renewal has been particularly strong at Manchester United this summer as our new leadership structure takes shape.
“Omar Berrada has started as chief executive, and Jason Wilcox as technical director, and I can assure you that we have lost no time in getting to work. Our first big decision of the summer was to extend Erik ten Hag’s contract as men’s first-team manager to June 2026, reflecting our strong belief in him as one of Europe’s top coaches, and the partner we want to continue working with to get the team back to the levels expected.
“We are all clear that last season fell below the required standards in the Premier League and Champions League but, by winning the FA Cup in such impressive fashion, our players and staff showed what they are capable of when everyone pulls together and performs to their potential.
“Our collective challenge is to reach those levels much more consistently. It’s my job, together with Jason, to create the right support structures and environment around Erik, the staff and players to make that possible. Already, I can feel a strong sense of energy and determination around the group, as the players and staff return fresh from their breaks, including some exciting new additions to the squad, and to the coaching team.
“There are also changes to the physical environment at Carrington as work commences on our season-long £50million redevelopment of the training ground – evidence of our commitment to improving the club’s infrastructure.
“This will require some adaptation this season, but all our teams – men’s, women’s and Academy – will maintain access to high-quality facilities, with the promise of a fully refreshed, world-class site once the project is completed.
“Delivering a successful women’s team and a thriving, productive Academy are both key objectives of my job, and I have a strong background in both areas. Women’s football was an important part of my remit in past roles with Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion and the FA, and it will be the same at Manchester United. Women’s football is arguably the most exciting area of growth in the global game, and we want to be part of that.
“Last season’s FA Cup win was a fantastic landmark as our first major women’s trophy, and now we want to build on that with Marc, his staff and the players. Youth development has also been a huge part of my career and I see it as a crucial element of success for any football club – but especially for Manchester United where homegrown players have such a rich history.
“The success of our Under-18s during the 2023/24 campaign bodes well for the next generation of men’s talent coming through, and the same is true on the women’s side, with both our Under-21s and Under-16s finishing the season with trophies. Overall, my first impression is the scale of opportunity available to us at Manchester United as we review and refresh all areas of the club.
“This remains one of the biggest football clubs in the world, but that is not our measure of success; the focus is on getting back to being among the best on the pitch. It won’t happen overnight, but, together with Omar and his new leadership team, we will not rest until we have achieved it.”
“With Thiago Silva leaving Chelsea, there’s a gap there for an experienced player like Maguire to move into.”
Meanwhile, Maguire is heading to America with Manchester United for their USA tour.
The Red Devils are heading to LA to face Arsenal on Sunday with the all-Premier League showdown taking place at SoFi Stadium and is the first of the US tour.
That will be followed by a friendly against Real Betis at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California on August 1.
United finish the trip to America with a match against rivals Liverpool at the Williams–Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.
