WHY DID HARRY MAGUIRE’S FORM IMPROVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER LOSING THE CAPTAIN'S ARMBAND?
From losing the captaincy to a new deal, Harry Maguire opens up on Zoe Maguire’s defence and United’s top-four race.
Back in September 2023, things were rough for Harry Maguire. He was having a terrible time, getting jeered and taunted during an England match against Scotland. He came on, played well, and then, just his luck, scored an own goal. It got so bad that his mum, Zoe, jumped onto social media to defend him. She called the way people treated him “disgraceful and unacceptable.”
Harry had actually asked her not to say anything, but she was having none of it. “I didn’t want her to, but she just said, ‘I’m doing it! I’m not listening to you!’” he said, smiling at the memory as he spoke to journalists at the club’s training base near Dublin.
He admitted that his family probably felt that pain even more than he did. They saw firsthand what he went through, how tough it really got. That Scotland fiasco? That was his lowest point. But in his mind, moments like those are just part of the journey. He wouldn’t change a thing; they’ve just made him stronger.
It honestly feels harsh to harp on the bad stuff. Maguire, now 33, still thinks he’s done a pretty good job at United. “I’ve performed really well in six out of my seven seasons at Old Trafford,” he insists. At this point, he still believes he’s “arguably one of the best defenders in the world in both boxes.” Late in games, whether you’re trying to protect a lead or go chasing one, he knows he makes an impact.
The way he talks about the lows is so open and honest, though, people can’t help but ask about it, especially since he just signed a new United contract for his eighth, maybe even ninth, season. Not that long ago, he lost the captain’s armband thanks to Erik ten Hag, and the club tried to sell him to West Ham. Things looked bleak.
When they took the captaincy away, he felt angry and disappointed, who wouldn’t? But he always figured, unless you’re one of the truly elite, the ups and downs just come with the territory. Players hit incredible highs, then lose form, maybe fade away. He watched legends like Wayne Rooney and David Beckham go through the same public hammering, and learned from their resilience.
So Maguire just put his head down and worked. He’s always believed in himself, always thought he was a top player sometimes, that’s all you have when things are falling apart.
Of course, it hasn’t been easy. Losing the captaincy stung. Still, he says his form improved right after, though he believes he would have bounced back either way. Some players, he knows, would have cracked. “I think there’ll be a lot who want to just close the book, go elsewhere and restart,” he says. For many, all the mockery and abuse would have broken them earlier. He almost hit that breaking point himself.
But now, things feel different. The public seems to be behind him. That new contract proves United still value what he brings, especially with someone like Casemiro leaving. There was plenty of interest in Maguire this summer, but it never felt like his time at United was truly up.
He’s proud to still be there after eight years and calls it “a huge honour.” His focus has been on staying competitive. He wants a squad built to win things. United recruited well last year, and this summer feels massive. The club let him know a while back they wanted to extend his deal, so once there was a break in matches, he made sure to get it done.
Right now, United sit third, with seven games left. They need four wins and a draw to lock up a Champions League spot. Maguire knows nothing’s settled. He’s suspended for the Leeds game and waiting to find out if he’ll miss the Chelsea match, too, after his red card at Bournemouth. But he’s not taking any opponent lightly “If you’re not on it, you get beat,” he says. Teams like Chelsea, Villa, and Liverpool can all go on winning streaks right when it matters most.
Still, he sees hope. The squad looks stronger. But he’s not pretending they don’t need new faces: “This summer’s going to be big. We need more players. Better quality. Guys who can go straight into the starting lineup. We’re not in Europe this year, and we’ve already played 40 games. We need a bigger squad.”
Ask him about the club’s limits? “I don’t think there’s any ceiling on it,” he says. When February and March roll around, he doesn't want United playing catch-up any more. Football’s about memories, he says. Sure, you can make special moments with big goals, but the best memories only come from winning the big trophies.
On the international front, Maguire ended his 18-month absence from England with appearances in World Cup warmups against Uruguay and Japan. His return was met mostly with support, even after Thomas Tuchel publicly ranked him as a fifth-choice centre-back. Maguire’s had tougher challenges than that.
He’s hungry to make the World Cup squad for what he admits would likely be his last tournament. “I’ve been to two, but I missed the Euros two years ago with injury, and that really hurt.” He’ll accept whatever role the manager wants, starter, bench, it doesn’t matter as long as he can help. “If the manager believes the same, I’m sure he will pick me.”
INSIDE SENNE LAMMENS’ BLUEPRINT FOR MAN UNITED’S MASSIVE 2026 SUMMER TRANSFER OVERHAUL
"We want to be stronger." Read Senne Lammens' honest assessment of Manchester United’s squad needs after the Sunderland draw.
Senne Lammens isn’t hiding from the truth; he knows Manchester United have to beef up their squad this summer if they want to handle both the Premier League and Champions League next season.
Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Sunderland showed just how thin United are right now. Casemiro, Benjamin Sesko, and Manuel Ugarte all sat out with injuries, and you could feel their absence on the pitch.
It’s been a weird season for United. They played just 40 games, the fewest in over a century, because they were eliminated from Europe and both domestic cups so early. But now they’re back in the Champions League, and Lammens realises the team has to get deeper if they want to compete seriously.
“Yeah, definitely. This league’s tough, and next year’s schedule is going to be insane,” the goalkeeper said. “You want to have enough reliable players, people who can step up whenever they’re needed.”
Lammens made it clear that United must invest in new signings during the summer window. He’s not saying the squad lacks quality now, but he knows things will get tougher. “Honestly, I think we’ve got a lot of talent this year,” he said. “But next season’s going to ask a lot more from us, and you need to be ready for injuries and everything that can come with a busy year like today, when we missed a few regular starters. Being able to call on others to jump in really matters.”
He wants a strong, well-rounded group ready for the challenges ahead. “We’re already building towards that, but we want to be even stronger for next season.”
Some people wondered if United relaxed after they clinched their Champions League spot by beating Liverpool last weekend. Lammens brushed that idea off. He said head coach Michael Carrick was all over them, reminding everyone to finish the season on a high.
“I don’t think so, not for me at least,” Lammens said. “The manager made it clear that these last games are important. We want as many points as we can get and to finish as high as possible. How you end the season carries over. It’s your launchpad for next year. We want to keep the momentum going.”
He didn’t want to hear any excuses. “Honestly, if we’d played at Sunderland a few weeks ago before securing the Champions League, it still would’ve been tough. That wasn’t in our minds.”
Carrick echoed those thoughts after the match. He sounded almost annoyed when asked if the players were mentally on holiday already.
“I get almost offended by that,” he said. “The way the players prepared and battled out there, it’s clear they’re still focused. If we’d been off it, we’d have lost. Sunderland pushed us hard at times.”
He thinks the pride and responsibility of playing for Manchester United is all the motivation the team needs. “That’s what keeps us sharp, knowing we represent something big. That doesn’t guarantee we’ll always play brilliantly, but it’s enough to fight through tough days.”
MANCHESTER UNITED HOLD ADVANCED NEGOTIATIONS FOR RECORD-BREAKING £18M BETWAY SPONSORSHIP
Despite the upcoming front-of-shirt gambling ban, explore how Man United’s Betway deal targets training apparel at Carrington.
Manchester United are currently discussing a potential sponsorship deal with Betway, reportedly worth up to £18 million. This comes despite the Premier League having banned betting companies from featuring as main shirt sponsors starting from the 2026-27 season.
Back in 2023, Premier League clubs collectively agreed to remove gambling logos from the front of their shirts. From that point, no top-flight team will carry betting advertisements on their kits during matches. But this new deal would see Betway appear on United’s training gear, not their matchday shirts.
According to reports from the MEN, talks have progressed significantly. If an agreement were reached, the Betway logo would be quite visible on the training apparel worn by players at Carrington, United’s training ground. That means fans would regularly see the branding in video footage and photos taken during training sessions.
Previously, United’s training kits featured Tezos, a blockchain company, until that partnership ended in June 2025. Betway has its own history with English football; they’ve been shirt sponsors for West Ham United and maintain global gambling partnerships with several Premier League clubs, including Manchester City, Arsenal, and Brighton & Hove Albion.
The financial terms on the table for this Betway deal would be substantially close to £18 million, putting it on a similar scale to Bayern Munich’s partnership with Allianz, which includes stadium naming rights. This is quite a significant figure for a single training kit sponsor.
This season, United have gone without a sponsor on their training gear. After the Tezos contract expired, the club chose not to rush into a new agreement. They wanted to carefully evaluate potential partners, both from a financial standpoint and in terms of brand alignment.
There were even conversations with the African division of the Six Rivers Foundation, a conservation project in which United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has invested. However, those discussions didn’t lead to a deal.
When majority owners Joel and Avram Glazer visited Carrington earlier this year, commercial revenue and sponsorship opportunities were among the key topics addressed. The club has also brought in marketing agency Two Circles, where ex-United sales manager Leo Thompson works, to help find a new sleeve sponsor, given that the current contract with DXC ends this summer.
Securing Champions League qualification for next season under Michael Carrick’s leadership has somewhat eased the process. United guaranteed their place in Europe’s top competition after a 3-2 victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford, which should make the club more attractive to potential commercial partners.
