Rio Ferdinand has urged Manchester United captain Harry Maguire to leave the club after the defender was left out of the starting line-up for this weekend’s game against Wolves.
Maguire missed United’s first game back after the season was paused to accommodate the World Cup in Qatar, with Erik ten Hag revealing that his skipper was struck by illness.
The England star was back in the squad for the next game against Nottingham Forest and was used as a second-half substitute. Interestingly, left-back Luke Shaw started in his place in an unfamiliar position.
Shaw kept his place for today’s game at Wolves, with both Maguire and Victor Lindelof watching from the bench. Speaking before the game after the teamsheets were published, Ferdinand urged Maguire to start searching for a new club.
“This is not long-term,” Ferdinand told BT Sport, via The Metro, on Shaw starting at centre-back alongside Raphael Varane.
“It did raise my eyebrows when I saw Lindelof and Maguire on the bench. If they weren’t fit they wouldn’t be on the bench. If they weren’t able to play some part of the game they wouldn’t be on the bench.
“It shows what he [Ten Hag] thinks of those two guys when he is playing Luke Shaw at centre-half.
“If I’m Harry Maguire, I am looking for a new club right now, I have to be honest. You saw what he does for England, he is impeccable for England, he is faultless for England. He puts in good, solid performances for England.
At Manchester United, it just hasn’t worked out for him. This manager, it is showing in his team selection that he is not going to be one of the top two, three centre-halves in his squad.
“So I am thinking if I am him in his shoes, I would be saying, find me somewhere else where I can go and enjoy my football and be playing regularly.”
SN’s verdict…
It’s quite clear that Ten Hag prefers both Lisandro Martinez and Varane over Maguire but now, if Shaw has also moved above him in the pecking order, it’s going to be difficult for him to regain that spot in the team.
Maguire has two-and-a-half years remaining on his contract and is approaching 30, meaning there is little resale value on the heft fee United spent on him in 2019.
Ten Hag would likely be keen on keeping his captain around for at least the remainder of the season but you must wonder whether Maguire is starting to consider a move.
