Despite being the world’s most expensive defender, Harry Maguire’s spots in the Manchester United and England teams are far from secure.
England manager Gareth Southgate has expressed concerns about Harry Maguire’s lack of playing time for Manchester United, saying it is difficult to guarantee his starting position in the national team.
Despite being United’s captain, Maguire is no longer a starter in central defense. The £80 million signing of 2018 has fallen down the pecking order. Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, and Victor Lindelof are all ahead. Even left-back Luke Shaw has played as a center-back, leaving Maguire with just seven Premier League starts all season.
“Inevitably it’s not a situation that can continue forever,” Southgate said after naming Maguire in the England squad for next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers.
“It’s like [Manchester City midfielder] Kalvin Phillips. They are important players for us and with Kalvin we haven’t got many players who can play as that single pivot.
“Of course the longer that situation goes on the more concerning it is and we’ve got, in [Crystal Palace’s] Marc Guehi, [Brighton’s] Lewis Dunk, [Aston Villa’s] Tyrone Mings, players who are playing well without the same experiences of club European football or international football.
“But we’ve got to keep searching for competition in that area of the pitch.”
On Wednesday, England announced their squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers. Notably absent from the list was Raheem Sterling. The Chelsea winger has been a significant player for the team under Southgate’s leadership.
The Three Lions will play against Malta and North Macedonia in the upcoming International games.
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