Manchester United transfer news: Red Devils to open contract talks with Harry Maguire

Harry Maguire
(Image credit: PA)

Manchester United are ready to offer a new contract to club captain Harry Maguire, according to reports.

The England international moved to Old Trafford for £80m in 2019, making him the most expensive defender of all time.

United were accused of paying over the odds to land Maguire two years ago, but he has excelled at the heart of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's defence.

The centre-back took over the captaincy in January 2020 after Ashley Young left the club.

According to the Daily Mirror, United are preparing to offer Maguire a new deal in a bid to secure his long-term future.

The former Leicester man still has four years remaining on his current deal, which contains an option for United to extend his stay by an additional 12 months.

But Maguire's status within the dressing room has risen since he signed a six-year deal upon arrival in Manchester.

The club believes he is deserving of a better deal and are currently putting a package together.

Maguire's situation is not as urgent as that of Paul Pogba or even Bruno Fernandes, but United are working on new deals for all three players.

Each one is considered an integral part of Solskjaer's team, and United want to demonstrate Maguire's importance by bringing his pay into line with Jadon Sancho's and Raphael Varane's.

Both players arrived at Old Trafford in the summer and were given contracts that made them two of the club's most well-remunerated players.

Maguire's centrality was underlined when he suffered an injury towards the end of last season and missed key matches in the run-in.

The England centre-half missed the penalty shoot-out defeat by Villarreal in the Europa League final.

He is on the treatment table at present but is expected to return from a calf injury before the end of the month.

Maguire will definitely miss a trip to his former club on Saturday, though, as United take on Leicester.

Subscribe to FourFourTwo today and get three issues delivered for just £3. The offer ends October 17, 2021.

NOW READ

RANKED The 50 best players of the 2000s

FIFA 21 How to beat any defender one-on-one using 'The Bridge' technique

FEATURE 12 of football's ludicrously short managerial reigns

FourFourTwo Staff

FourFourTwo was launched in 1994 on the back of a World Cup that England hadn’t even qualified for. It was an act of madness… but it somehow worked out. Our mission is to offer our intelligent, international audience access to the game’s biggest names, insightful analysis... and a bit of a giggle. We unashamedly love this game and we hope that our coverage reflects that.