Manchester United's leadership is said to be divided on what to do with Harry Maguire's upcoming future.
Maguire will become a free agent in June and has not yet been offered an extension to continue staying at Old Trafford. This means he is allowed to negotiate with other clubs, and Maguire's agent has contacted several teams across Europe.
Maguire is currently 32 years old. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe does not want to extend his contract with him, and believes that players like Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven can be developed into a well-coordinated, long-term center-back pair.
Although Man United has experience from Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt, Maguire still receives a lot of support from veterans at the club. The England international has proven recently that he is still one of the best defenders in the Premier League.
Experience accumulated at Man United since 2019 has also helped Maguire become an important mentor for young players like Yoro and Heaven. However, interim coach Michael Carrick was not consulted about Maguire's contract situation.
However, Carrick has affirmed that Maguire is still highly appreciated and an indispensable part of the future plan. Maguire himself does not want to go abroad for fear of disrupting family life. He understands that the opportunity to wear the England national team jersey more in the future will be wide open if he continues to stay at Old Trafford.
Maguire is also willing to accept a salary cut of £200,000 per week in exchange for signing a contract extension. Ratcliffe is said to lack practical experience in running a football club, not to mention a big team like the "Red Devils".
But what Ratcliffe needs to look at in the overall picture is that Man United is lacking a leader. This problem may become clearer in the summer, when midfielder Casemiro is likely to leave. Captain Bruno Fernandes can also do the same.
Man United is in the process of rebuilding, but defense is not the top priority. And if Maguire is still capable of shining in big matches, as he has shown in recent victories against Manchester City and Arsenal, then letting him leave is unreasonable.
Maguire went through many difficult times at Man United when he was sidelined by some coaches. Even Erik ten Hag once stripped him of the captain's armband. The former Leicester player also became laughter to his supporters. But Maguire showed resilience to return, fight and prove that those who doubted him were wrong.
Maguire's fate will probably depend on whether the "Red Devils" win a Champions League spot next season or not. Revenue from this prestigious arena will help ease the salary fund and create conditions for renewal negotiations.
Until then, Maguire will continue to fight with all his professionalism, to prove that no matter what the future holds, he is still a part of the resilient history at Old Trafford.
