Harry Maguire has started just four league games this season (Photo: Getty)
Rio Ferdinand has told Harry Maguire he should leave Manchester United unless he’s happy to just be a squad player under Erik ten Hag.
It’s been a difficult season for the United captain, who has started just seven games, with Ten preferring Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and even Luke Shaw at centre-back.
But after a shaky start, the 29-year-old has actually performed very well when given the chance, and still looked top-class while playing for England at the World Cup.
However as club captain, and the most expensive defender of all-time, Maguire will no doubt want to be playing a lot more and has even been linked with a move away from Old Trafford this January.
Both Aston Villa and West Ham have reportedly made enquires over a loan deal but Ten Hag has insisted he doesn’t want to lose any players right now given the amount of games United have to play.
Even so, Ferdinand believes that Maguire has a huge decision to make over whether he stays at United as a squad player or leave to become starter again somewhere else.
‘If you are a player of Harry Maguire’s quality and you aren’t starting for your club every week, you have a decision to make,’ the United legend told William Hill.
Rio Ferdinand believes Maguire isn’t happy with his current role at Man Utd (Photo: Getty)
‘You want to be playing and if you’re not, then you have to look at the possibility of moving on. However, if you are happy being a squad player, then you can stick around and play that role.
”Squad players are very important. In order for clubs to win leagues and trophies, you need squad players to come in and do their job when called upon.
‘If Harry wants to do that then great, but I’m not sure when he signed from Leicester he made the move to sit on the bench and be more of a squad player. You’d have to think he wants to be starting every week.’
Maguire joined United in 2019 for £80million, becoming Red Devils skipper just six months later and he performed well in his first few seasons, though his large transfer fee made him an easy target when things didn’t go well.
However last campaign was very difficult for him both on and off the pitch, but while Ten Hag hasn’t played him much, the manager has said that he views him as an important player at the club.
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He’s started just four league games this season.