Harry Maguire gambled with his England spot after passing up the opportunity to leave Manchester United this summer.
According to Mirror Football pundit Robbie Savage, Gareth Southgate now has a legitimate prospect of omitting him for next summer’s European Championships in Germany.
The 30-year-old appeared to be on his way out of Manchester United earlier this month, only for his mooted £30 million transfer to West Ham to fall through. It currently appears that he will stay at Old Trafford, despite the fact that his path to regular minutes remains hazy at best.
The England international has fallen from captain to fifth-choice option under Erik ten Hag, even falling beneath left back Luke Shaw in the pecking order. Regardless, he now appears to be a United back-up, with questions about his place in the national team certain to arise.
Southgate, who has played a role in the last three major championships, has been faithful to Maguire. But, with another season of minimal football on the horizon, Savage believes his spot in Euro 2024 is in jeopardy.
“Gareth Southgate stood by Harry Maguire last season when the Manchester United captain was in and out of the side at Old Trafford,” Savage said in an interview with Mirror Football. “Because Maguire has never let England down, Southgate’s loyalty was based on his performance for his country rather than his club.”
“Now that Maguire’s planned £30 million move to West Ham appears to have fallen through, he has resolved to fight for his place at United following a classy reaction to being stripped of the captaincy.”
“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 if he had joined the Hammers and played regularly.”
“But if he is destined to be a stop-gap at the back for United – which appears 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,” Savage continued. It’s a risk for Maguire to continue at United, and it’s a risk for Southgate to keep picking him for England.”
The United manager has stated that he is content for Maguire to stay and compete for a starting spot this season. Ten Hag wants two players in every position as they struggle on four fronts this season, and he has laid out just what the former captain needs to accomplish to regain his favor.
“It’s up to him,” he said to reporters. He understands what I expect of him. I’ve been here a year and you know what I look for in a center half. And he is capable of doing so.
“I’ve said many times that he has the ability to do it, so now he has to demonstrate it.” It is therefore a matter of character; he has all the abilities to play that role, and it is up to him when the time [opportunity to play] comes.”
