Harry Maguire and his agent can negotiate with any team from January 1, 2025, because at that time he only has 6 months left on his contract. The previous contract extension had a 1-year activation clause until 2026, but this clause was initiated by Man United, not the English midfielder.
If Maguire decides to leave in January, Man United's one-year extension clause will be immediately invalidated, whether the "Red Devils" want it or not. The problem is that if Maguire has agreed to another team next month but Man United still decide to activate the clause, both sides will need to ask FIFA to resolve the matter. However, according to habit, FIFA often rules in favor of the player in such cases.
According to The Athletic, Man United are looking to give Maguire a new contract after his recent positive signs on the pitch. If they don't act quickly, the Old Trafford team could be sabotaged by other teams. Rumors have recently started to emerge that Napoli wants Maguire. The Italian team bought Scott McTominay from M.U and the Scottish midfielder is currently playing very well.
Not only Napoli, Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce could also be interested in Maguire after buying two other Man United players, Fred and Sofyan Amrabat, in the past two years. Not only Fenerbahce, in the Turkish league, Galatasaray is also closely following Maguire's situation.
The reason why Man United is in this dilemma is because Maguire's form is at a very difficult level to determine. He does not play well enough to have an irreplaceable influence. However, without Maguire in the 3-center-back formation, whether he is a starter or a substitute, Ruben Amorim feels lacking. After a period of being criticized for "acting funny" on the field, with his professionalism, Maguire is gradually regaining his confidence and playing better with each match.
In early December, when Bruno Fernandes was taken off the pitch in a big win over Everton, the Man United captaincy was handed to Harry Maguire. He had previously been captain under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but was stripped of the role by Erik ten Hag due to poor form.
Since then, Maguire has gradually regained confidence. Ruben Amorim gave him the captain's armband in the win over Everton after Bruno left the field, the clearest proof of his trust in the English star.
Since the beginning of the season, Maguire has started 8 matches and appeared as a substitute 3 times in the Premier League. With the current 3-4-3 formation, Amorim really needs a strong, solid person to guard the middle. If it is not De Ligt, it will be Maguire or vice versa. Amorim needs a strong force to avoid running out of steam and rotating, if Maguire is left out now, the remaining players will not be capable enough to replace De Ligt.
