Manchester United defender Harry Maguire was one of a number of Red Devils players representing their countries during the international break, with one reporter reacting to an update on the centre-back.
What happened to Harry Maguire?
Maguire hasn’t exactly had the best of summers, with Erik ten Hag stripping him of the United captaincy ahead of the new campaign and giving the armband to midfielder Bruno Fernandes.
It then looked as if the player would leave Old Trafford for West Ham, however, a £30m transfer fell through late in the window as United didn’t have the time to bring in a replacement.
On the pitch, the 30-year-old hasn’t started a game under Ten Hag, with his only competitive minutes coming as a substitute against Arsenal prior to the international break in a 3-1 defeat at the Emirates.
Gareth Southgate has continued to place his trust in the centre-back, though, starting him in a 1-1 Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine on the weekend.
Maguire was also brought on in the second half against Scotland on Tuesday evening, however, he scored an own goal in the 3-1 friendly victory.
Shortly after that moment, Daily Express reporter Alex Turk took to X to give his views on Maguire, saying:
“Harry Maguire cannot catch a break, deary me. Everything he touches.
“He’s clearly way past his best but you can’t fault his character one bit. Imagine the thickness of skin you need to carry this much slack every time you step on the pitch. Agreeing that West Ham move would’ve been the best thing for his career. He needs something to go his way.”
What did Gareth Southgate say about Harry Maguire?
Maguire was once again a hot topic of conversation in the media after his own goal at Hampden Park, however, he was quickly defended by Southgate following the win. The Three Lions manager said:
“I've never known a player treated the way he is.
“He's been an absolute stalwart for us in the second most successful England team for decades – he's been an absolutely key part of that.
“I've talked about the importance of our senior players, he's been crucial among that.
“Every time he goes on the field, the resilience he shows is absolutely incredible. He's a top player and we're all with him and our fans were brilliant with him.”
Despite his unfortunate own goal on Tuesday, Maguire may well be required to feature for United following the international break, with Ten Hag currently having an injury crisis at the back.
Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are all out, whereas Lisandro Martinez also went off against Arsenal. However, the Argentine appears to have hinted he has returned to full fitness ahead of the clash with Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend.
It does feel as if Maguire needs a run of games and solid performances to turn his fortunes around, and that could potentially be away from Old Trafford, so it will be interesting to see if he seals an exit in the New Year following the speculation over the summer.
