Harry Maguire is close to agreeing a contract that will keep him at Manchester United next season – but wants to know he is still valued by the club.
The 33-year-old’s current deal expires this summer and talks have taken place in recent weeks. We understand this would likely be a one-year deal with an option for another 12 months.
Maguire, who is with the England squad this week, said: ‘I think we’ll reach an agreement where it’s best for the club and myself. I think it’ll get sorted sooner rather than later, whether I stay or leave. But I think it will – it should – get sorted pretty soon.’
Maguire, 33, says his preference is to remain at Old Trafford.
‘Yeah, I love this club,’ he added. ‘But it’s got to be right for myself, it’s got to be right for the club as well. I don’t want to be staying on sentimental value. I want to be staying because I want to be there and the club want me to drive the club forward, and they feel like I’ve got a big part to play. If that’s the case, then I’m sure we’ll sit down and reach something.’
Maguire’s contract update comes after his inclusion in Thomas Tuchel’s final England squad before he decides which 26 players he wants to take to the World Cup this summer.
Harry Maguire is close to agreeing a new contract to extend his stay at Manchester United
The defender’s future has been clouded by uncertainty with his deal expiring this summer
His good form has won him an England recall and now he is on the verge of agreeing a new deal
Reflecting on the moment he received his recall from the Three Lions boss, Maguire said on Wednesday: ‘He (Tuchel) sent me a WhatsApp saying, “Can I give you a call after 6 o’clock?” I was like, “Just about to take off for Bournemouth. Yeah, no problem”. That 40 minutes was a long flight! I didn’t know if he was ringing to say, “You’ve just missed out, we’re looking at…”. I knew if I wasn’t in this camp, I don’t think I’d have been back in the England set-up.
‘But he rang me early at about 10 to six, thankfully! He told me I would be in the squad and that I deserved to be here – it was an amazing phone call.
‘When you’ve been a regular for six or seven years and playing every game, when it’s taken away from you all of a sudden, it hurts. But you always have that little bit inside that thinks you still have something to offer.
‘So this felt a bit like my first call-up, really. My mum rang me up crying, bless her. She was in Spain on holiday. I don’t know how many drinks she’d had!’
Maguire later suffered what he described as ‘a bad end to a good day’ by picking up a red card during United’s dramatic 2-2 draw at Bournemouth.
The 33-year-old, while no longer the captain of United, plays a crucial role at the club’s Carrington training complex. As Daily Mail Sport’s Chris Wheeler reported in February, those who have worked with Maguire describe the ultimate team player who puts his body on the line and faces adversity while worrying more about those around him.
‘Harry’s had a great career so far, and hopefully there’s a lot more to come,’ said United boss Carrick, who was first-team coach under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when Maguire arrived from Leicester in a £80m deal in 2019.
‘He’s an impressive character. He has been here on the journey and the experiences that he’s had, and with England as well, shows exactly what he is. I think we all know the player he is and what he’s capable of doing.’
