Harry Maguire Shares Optimistic Update on Contract Discussions with Manchester United
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Manchester, Dec 16 (NationPress) Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has confirmed that there have been ‘positive talks’ regarding a new contract with the club, which is due to expire at the end of the season. United holds the option to extend Maguire’s contract for another year, but the club will likely aim to secure him if they consider him to be an essential part of the squad.
“I haven't really thought about [his long-term future]. I’ve still got this year to go with an option in their hands. But, yeah, all the signs are positive at the moment and the chat that I'm having is really positive,” Maguire was quoted as saying by ESPN.
Maguire joined Manchester United in 2019 from Leicester City for 80 Million Pounds, a record fee for a defender, and has represented the club 219 times. He was the club’s captain before Bruno Fernandes took over the responsibility, and it appeared that the English defender was on the verge of a transfer to West Ham in 2023, but the deal fell through.
The 31-year-old has seen a decrease in his position in the lineup since the summer arrivals of De Ligt and Leny Yoro, making his inclusion in the match against Manchester City on Sunday surprising.
“It's been a difficult start to the season for us and not much for our fans to cheer about, so it's for them. I thought the game (Manchester Derby) was a 50-50 game, to be honest. It could have gone either way. It's an improvement but still a long way to go,” he added.
The centre-back performed well against Manchester City, effectively marking the prolific goalscorer Erling Haaland.
Head Coach Ruben Amorim praised the defender post-match. “[Harry] Maguire is perfect when you play with three defenders. I think in the middle [he] is perfect. Then the way that the striker they have [Erling Haaland] plays with long balls, you need to be really strong and he was perfect for that.
“Not just Harry, all the guys defended really well. They were very focused, and that is the key to playing better. I think he did a great job and also his teammates did a great job,” said Amorim in the post-game interview.
