Harry Maguire is in talks with Manchester United about signing a new deal that would tie him to the club for at least the seventh and eighth seasons.
The 31-year-old’s contract expires in June, with United holding an option for another 12 months. If the centre-back agrees to a new contract, it will be a stunning reversal after losing his captaincy under Erik ten Hag and nearly joining West Ham in the summer of 2023.
Maguire confirmed that conversations were ongoing. “All the signs are positive at the moment and the chat that I’m having is really positive,” according to him. “I’ve still got this year to go with an option in their hands.”
Maguire, who joined United for £80 million in the summer of 2019, impressed in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Manchester City, playing the entire game as a centre-back in Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation.
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“It’s been a difficult start to the season for us and not much for our fans to cheer about, so today’s for them,” Maguire told the crowd.
“I am sure they will celebrate. I was injured when he [Amorim] first joined, so they’re looking after my minutes; I haven’t been able to play consecutive games yet. Hopefully, with 90 minutes under my belt for the first time in two or three months, [I can].”
Maguire is accustomed with the three-centre back system, particularly in England under Gareth Southgate.
“I’ve played in it numerous times in my career generally on the left but obviously playing in the middle at the moment,” explained the player. “It feels fantastic; we feel solid. We still need to make significant improvements.”
Josko Gvardiol’s 36th-minute header gave City the lead, but Matheus Nunes gave up a penalty in the 88th minute, which Amad Diallo won and Bruno Fernandes converted. Diallo scored a superb goal seconds before the end of regulation time.
Maguire said: “It was a terrific performance in the end to come here and have 50-50 possession and the same number of shots as them.
It hasn’t been like this in recent years, so it’s an improvement, but there’s still a long way to go.”
He stated about Diallo, “He’s done incredibly well this season. He’s still a young boy [22], with a lot to learn. I’m confident he’ll gain valuable experience playing in these big games, and I believe he has a bright future with this club.”
