Solskjaer explains why Maguire stayed at Man Utd after private talks
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has stressed that it's not easy to leave Manchester United following Harry Maguire 's decision to snub transfer interest in the summer.
The England star, 30, was the subject of interest from West Ham during pre-season and was expected to move on after being stripped of the club captaincy by Erik ten Hag. But Maguire opted to stay and fight for his place after spending the majority of the 2022/23 campaign on the sidelines.
After months of abuse from fans, Maguire has rallied and forced his way back into the first-team fold over recent weeks, vindicating his decision to stay put. And his former manager, Solskjaer, who has stayed in touch with Maguire since his own Old Trafford exit in November 2021, has now outlined just how difficult it is to walk away from a club like Manchester United.
“I think he has dealt with it in a fantastic way,” Solskjaer said of Maguire's recent troubles during an interview with Norwegian outlet Nettavisen. “It has not been easy. I have kept in touch with him and I have nothing but praise for the guy. He has been in it.
“It's not easy to leave Manchester United because you know there's a downturn almost everywhere you go. You get paid for your efforts when you are that type, when you are a good footballer and show that you have a heart for the club.”
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Solskjaer was the man who made Maguire club captain during his Old Trafford tenure and the Norwegian believes the manner in which the defender has knuckled down to salvage his United career perfectly embodies why he was given the armband.
Join the debate! How impressed have you been with Maguire's comeback? Let us know here.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has commended Harry Maguire for turning around his Manchester United career (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)He added: “I am very happy that Harry in particular shows what kind of player he is, but not least what kind of type and person he is. That's why I made him captain. We in Norway call it 'hell wood'.”
Ten Hag was seemingly happy for Maguire to move elsewhere in the summer, but the Dutchman has been quick to pay tribute to his former captain in recent weeks following a string of impressive performances from the England centre-back.
Speaking in the aftermath of the recent 4-3 defeat to FC Copenhagen in the Champions League, Ten Hag was asked about the fierce competition for a central defensive berth following Raphael Varane 's recent stint out of the team.
He said: “Rapha was brilliant in combination with [Lisandro] Martinez, and I can also see very good combinations with Jonny Evans or with Victor Lindelof. But there’s internal competition. Harry Maguire is doing very well in this moment. As I always said with Harry, he can do the job and now he’s showing it.
“Every time you have to swap your back four, it’s difficult. A new keeper coming in and then every time you have to form a new back four, the routines are not the same. Communication is important, it’s all split-second decisions. You need that cooperation and it has to work 100%. When it doesn’t work, you concede goals.”
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