14, (THEWILL) – Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag, has issued an ultimatum to defender, Harry Maguire, telling the out-of-favour centre-back to fight for his place or leave the club.
Maguire has fallen down the pecking order under Ten Hag, making just eight English Premier League starts last season before being stripped of the captaincy. With West Ham having a £30 million bid accepted for the 29-year-old, Maguire looks set for a summer exit.
Speaking ahead of United’s EPL opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Ten Hag asserted Maguire has the ability to be a “top-class centre-back,” but must prove himself. “He has to fight for his place. If he’s not confident enough to go with that fight then he has to go, he has to make the decision”, Ten Hag stated.
The manager affirmed competition is vital, saying all positions have two quality players vying for minutes. “You need high-level players who are maybe not starting but that can change…it is up to the players if they have the game time or less”, he added.
With Maguire’s likely departure, reports monitored by THEWILL indicate United will enter the market for centre-back depth. Names linked include Jean Clair-Todibo, Perr Schuurs and Bayern’s Benjamin Pavard as Ten Hag aims to strengthen the Red Devils’ backline.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
