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Erik ten Hag has hinted that he would understand if Harry Maguire decided to leave Manchester United in the summer.
The England international was signed in 2019 for an £80 million fee. Such a figure brought on expectations that he hasn't been able to fulfill during his spell at Old Trafford.
After being one of the first names on the team sheet for his first three seasons at Manchester United, he lost favor under Ten Hag. While the Dutchman didn't remove him as the club's captain, he brought in Lisandro Martinez last summer to replace him in the starting XI.
Martinez, alongside Raphael Varane, remains Ten Hag's preferred centre-back partnership. This has restricted Maguire to making just eight Premier League starts this term.
Given his status and age, the 30-year-old could want to leave the club in order to find more playing time. According to GiveMeSport, Manchester United have even considered loaning him out for next season.
Asked if Maguire could leave the club this summer, Ten Hag told the Times:
"No one would be happy with this situation. [Maguire] is not as well. He trains always on best levels, so with 100 percent effort. So he handles that situation well and he’s in that manner and in his captaincy, he’s important for the squad."
He added:
"So Maguire will stay. Let’s say I’m happy he’s here and when we needed him he did his job. But it’s also a decision he has to make."
Maguire pockets £200,000 a week in wages and is on a contract that expires only in the summer of 2025.
Gareth Southgate admits Manchester United star Harry Maguire's place in England squad is under threat
England manager Gareth Southgate has maintained his loyalty to Harry Maguire despite the centre-back's lack of playing time at Manchester United.
Maguire played in all six of England's UEFA Nations League games last year and featured in every game they played at the 2022 World Cup until their quarter-final exit. He also started in both of the Three Lions' UEFA 2024 Euros qualifiers in March.
However, Maguire's inclusion in the starting XI comes at the expense of other talented centre-backs who are playing regularly for their club. Addressing the Manchester United centre-back's situation, he said in a recent interview, via the Guardian:
"Inevitably, it’s not a situation that can continue forever... Of course the longer that situation goes on the more concerning it is and we’ve got, in Marc Guéhi, Lewis Dunk, Tyrone Mings, players who are playing well without the same experiences of club European football or international football."
Maguire has racked up a total of 55 senior caps for England since making his debut in October 2017.
