Erik ten Hag sends message to Harry Maguire after snubbing Man Utd exit chance

18 August 2023 , 12:30

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Erik ten Hag is glad Harry Maguire is staying at Man Utd (Image: Getty Images)

Erik ten Hag says he is happy Harry Maguire has decided to stay at Manchester United but has warned the England defender he needs to prove he is worthy of a place in his starting line-up.

Maguire has surprisingly rejected the chance to move to West Ham after the clubs had agreed a £30m fee and still believes he has a future at Old Trafford. He was stripped of the captaincy in the summer and is fifth in the centre back pecking order behind Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof and even Luke Shaw who was used there in games towards the end of last season.

Ten Hag, who wants two top players fighting for every position with United returning to the Champions League this season, said: "I am happy Harry is here. We need a good squad. we have four good centre halves - five including Luke Shaw - and we need it because we are going to play 50-60 games this season.

"All the players are internationals, so we have a a very heavy load to cover so I am happy Harry is here. He has to fight for his position - as everyone in the squad has to - because we have constructed a squad with two [players] for every position and we need it."

Maguire appeared in 31 games - exactly half of United's 62 fixtures across all competitions last season - but only 16 of them were starts and his international place could be on jeopardy if he spends too much time on the bench.

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Asked what Maguire can expect in terms of game-time, Ten Hag said: "It's up to him. He knows what I expect from him. I've been here now for a year and you know what I expect from a centre half. And he can do it.

"I've said many times before he has the abilities to do it so now he has to show it. It is then about character, to be convinced to play that role, he has all the abilities to do it and it is up to him when the time [opportunity to play] is there."

Maguire staying at Man Utd has taken them out of the market for a new defender

Maguire's decision to stay means United are no longer in the market for a new central defender but Ten Hag has not ruled out new signings in other positions with two weeks left in the transfer window.

“Our squad is covered - all the positions are covered," he added. "I think we have a good squad and with this squad we are convinced we can go for our [trophy] targets.

"But, of course, we are Manchester United and we are always looking for improvement. And when there is the opportunity we will strike in the last two weeks. "

United remain in talks with Jonny Evans about extending his contract after the former Leicester defender returned to Old Trafford on a short-term deal to the end of this month.

They head to Tottenham this weekend with Ten Hag demanding his players show more "personality" in a bid to improve last season's dismal away record against the top teams. United picked up only one point - at Spurs - from their away games against the top nine clubs, losing to Manchester City, Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton, Aston Villa and Brentford.

"It is one of the aims we have for this season that we have to step up our levels in away games to get more points," he said. "It is often to do with personality. That is the demand from me for the players - that we have to show more personality on the pitch to win such games."

Richard Tanner