Ex-Man Utd star urges Maguire sale as solution offered

Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker has urged the club to sell Harry Maguire this summer.

Maguire joined United from Leicester for £80million in the summer of 2019 and has been a regular in the team ever since, taking on the captaincy in the process.

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Raphael Varane has partnered Maguire at the heart of United’s defence when fit this season following his move from Real Madrid, but the Red Devils still look vulnerable at the back.

And that has increased criticism of Maguire, who is often under scrutiny for his lack of pace, which has cost his side on occasion this term.

And Parker believes his former side should consider selling the England international should they receive a signficant bid this summer, and believes another United centre-back should be given the chance to form a partnership with Varane.

“If United, in my opinion, were to get somewhere near to their money back on Harry Maguire, I think they’ll have to think about it,” Parker told the Daily Express.

“I think [Victor] Lindelof and Varane, you know, they could build something on there maybe, in a mode of what they’re looking for and where the club wants to be.

“You’re talking about players who are definitely more agile, a little bit quicker, better defenders in one against one situations and I think you have to look at it that way.

“I don’t know if it’s going to happen. Me, personally, for United to go forward, that’s the starting area.”

There have been various reports of discord between members of the United squad in recent weeks, with one such report claiming a rift between Bruno Fernandes and Maguire.

But Fernandes has denied any such tension and insisted he was happy to see his teammate score in the win over Leeds.

On the latest dressing room noise, Fernandes told reporters: “I don’t know. I don’t know what people mean to that.

“I was doing an interview now and they asked me about Jadon Sancho doing my celebration. I don’t think that’s something that’s going in different ways. I saw the goal of H [Maguire] and I see Paul running behind him, sliding on his knees, happy for him.

“I was slapping his head, saying finally you’ve scored a goal with that big head. I think honestly, it’s just people trying to complain. We know when someone talks about this club, they go around the world with their voice and that’s something they want. For us, it means nothing.”