Few players have embodied Manchester United’s dysfunction in recent years quite like Harry Maguire: the £80 million price tag that became a punchline, the Mykonos saga, the booing, the rotating captaincy, and the carousel of managers who either backed him or left him out, depending on their tactical system at the time.
For years, Maguire was the emblematic figure when arguing that United had lost its way.
So, it was a big statement that when Michael Carrick took over in January, one of his first moves was to make Maguire an automatic starter, and Maguire has started every game since.
United have since climbed into the top four, with Carrick describing Maguire as integral to their revival. The 33-year-old has also earned a recall to the England squad, playing 90 minutes in the draw with Uruguay at Wembley.
, with an option for a further 12 months. Sceptics will point to his age and memories of seasons where he looked a step behind. Those concerns are not unfounded. Matthijs de Ligt’s return from injury will also raise questions about how prominent a role Maguire will have once United have a full complement of centre-backs.
The easy narrative is that renewing Maguire is regressive—clinging to familiar faces instead of moving forward—but context matters.
This is a United squad desperately short on leaders, short on Premier League experience, and in the midst of rebuilding its identity. Maguire, for all his limitations, helps in all three areas.
Sometimes, the right decision is unglamorous. Right now, Maguire remaining at Old Trafford is the right call.
2026-04-07 09:34:15
