19 August 2023 , 01:00
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Harry Maguire has gambled with his England place after snubbing the chance to leave Manchester United this summer.
That’s the view of Mirror Football columnist Robbie Savage, who believes Gareth Southgate now has a legitimate chance of dropping him for next summer’s European Championships in Germany.
The 30-year-old appeared to be on the verge of leaving the United earlier this month, only for his proposed £30 million move to West Ham to collapse. It now means that in all likelihood he will remain at Old Trafford, despite his route to regular minutes appearing unclear at best.
Under Erik ten Hag, the England international has gone from captain, to fifth-choice option, even sliding behind left back Luke Shaw in the pecking order. Regardless, he now looks set to stay as a back-up for United, with questions over his place in the national team sure to come under scrutiny.
Three Lions boss Southgate has remained loyal to Maguire, having played a part in the last three major tournaments. But with another season of limited football on the horizon, Savage thinks his place for Euro 2024 could be under serious risk.
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“Gareth Southgate stood by Harry Maguire last season when the Manchester United captain was in and out of the side at Old Trafford,” Savage told Mirror Football. “Maguire has never let England down, so Southgate's loyalty was based more on form for his country than his club.
“Now that Maguire's projected £30 million move to West Ham appears to have fallen through, he has resolved to fight for his place at United after a classy response to being stripped of the captaincy.
Harry Maguire is now set to stay at Manchester United for the upcoming season (PA)“If he had joined the Hammers and played regularly, national team coach Southgate would have been able to assess Maguire's claims for a place in England's Euro 2024 squad based on form.
Savage added: “But if he is destined to be a stop-gap at the back for United – as seems likely – the Three Lions coach will have to decide whether to stand by a player who is not getting as many minutes on the pitch as he would like for his club. If it's a gamble for Maguire to stay put at United, it's also a gamble for Southgate to keep picking him for England.”
The United boss has said he is happy for Maguire to stay and fight for his place this season. Ten Hag wants two players for every position as they battle on four fronts this season, and has laid out exactly what the former skipper needs to do to find his way back in his good graces.
He told reporters: "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 that 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."