Jaap Stam urges Man Utd not to let ‘important’ £80m star leave this summer | Football
Jaap Stam believes Manchester United would be making a grave error if they let former captain Harry Maguire leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Maguire has impressed greatly upon his return to the starting line-up following Michael Carrick’s appointment as interim head coach.
Playing alongside Lisandro Martinez, the former United captain has helped his side to wins over Manchester City and Arsenal over the past fortnight to move United back into the Premier League top four.
Maguire’s displays have been praised by many, with former Chelsea defender John Terry even suggesting that he should find himself in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the World Cup.
But despite those performances, the 32-year-old faces an uncertain future at Old Trafford, with his current contract set to expire at the end of the season.
Carrick recently insisted that conversations around Maguire’s contract situation will happen ‘at the right time’, implying that no concrete decision has been made about the defender, who joined from Leicester City for £80million back in 2019.
But former United defender Stam believes the club would be foolish to let Maguire go, and believes the Englishman’s experience means he would still have plenty of value to the squad beyond this season.
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‘Within any successful team, you’re always looking for players who can give something extra to the squad,’ Stam told Metro on behalf of the Covers.com World Cup betting team.
‘Players who are strong both mentally and physically – and there is no doubt that Harry Maguire is one of those players.
‘In terms of his defending, he’s always where you want him to be – he’s shown that many times, not just under Michael Carrick but also when Ruben Amorim was in charge.
‘Maguire has had a very difficult time at Manchester United in the last couple of years, so I have a lot of respect for him and the way he has come back into the team, looked top-notch and performed to a high level.’
Stam continued: ‘That’s a very important example for the club, to have players who are trustworthy and solid performers. It’s very important to keep players like that within the squad.
‘He’s got bags of experience and knows what is expected of players at a club like United.
Stam: ‘Arsenal defeat has blown the title race wide open’
Arsenal’s defeat to United means the Gunners now hold just a four-point lead over Manchester City and Aston Villa, and Stam thinks Mikel Arteta’s side are starting to feel the pressure.
‘The title race is completely open after Manchester United’s win at Arsenal,’ he told Metro. ‘The difference at the top is only four points now, and the pressure is on Arsenal.
‘Despite losing, I still believe Arsenal are a very good team with excellent players. But we all know that as we move towards the end of the Premier League season, it becomes increasingly difficult to win games because most of the other teams are either fighting for European qualification, or to avoid relegation.
‘For Arsenal, the pressure is really on, because it’s much easier to chase the leaders. Whereas for Arsenal, they are looking to maintain their position, which is extremely difficult.
‘The Arsenal players are now being asked different questions – they are being asked mental questions, and yet they still need to stay strong physically and keep to Mikel Arteta’s tactical philosophy.
‘Questions are also asked of the manager, he needs to find a way to keep winning games. In the last couple of weeks, you can see that it’s not been easy for them. And for the other teams, like Manchester City and Aston Villa, they will have a good feeling and will believe they can still win the title.’
‘I understand that sometimes you need to make space in your squad to bring in new players, but there needs to be a balance between experience and youth.
‘Maguire is the ideal person to stay at United, to play but also to help his team-mates reach and maintain high levels.’
Speaking after his side’s dramatic win over Arsenal, Maguire lauded interim boss Carick for his transformational impact on United’s squad.
‘Michael’s come in, he’s been brilliant with us, he’s brought a fresh energy, the group’s really galvanised,’ he said.
‘Two tough games, everybody’s probably thinks we come away from them with not many points but to win both is magnificent.’
United will hope to carry on this momentum under caretaker boss Carrick next weekend when they face Fulham at Old Trafford.
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Jaap Stam urges Man Utd not to let ‘important’ £80m star leave this summer | Football
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