Michael Carrick has hinted that Harry Maguire will be offered a new deal with Manchester United and believes “there’s a lot more to come” from the defender.
Maguire’s contract runs out in the summer and he has yet to sign a new one, but there is optimism at Old Trafford that he will stay at the club he joined for £80m in August 2019. United host Crystal Palace on Sunday, aiming to extend their six-match unbeaten run under Carrick. They have dropped only one point in that period, with Maguire’s value to the interim head coach demonstrated by the fact he has started every fixture of his tenure.
“Harry’s an impressive character. He’s had a great career so far, hopefully there’s a lot more to come,” Carrick said. “The journey and the experiences that he’s had, certainly since he’s been here and with England as well, showed exactly what he is. I think we all know the player that he is and what he’s capable of doing.
“The other night [against Everton] I thought he was fantastic. Experience helps. His attributes help, and his character. His willingness to put himself out there. He’s really impressive at his age and he’s been really important for us.”
The 32-year-old has not always been universally popular since arriving from Leicester but has rediscovered his best form in recent weeks. It is likely that Maguire will need to take a wage reduction to remain at the club, but following the announcement that Casemiro will leave at the end of the season, there is an eagerness to keep some experience around the squad.
“Within the squad there’s always that balance,” Carrick said. “You want that younger potential and that excitement of developing players and helping players. But you need that little sweet spot in the middle where the play is at the peak. You need that within the group and experience is massive. It’s hard to put a price on how valuable that can be, whether that’s individuals or experience as a whole group.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is keen to keep costs down and wages are a key part of it, especially after it was revealed in a filing to the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday that the sacking of Ruben Amorim and his staff could cost the club up to £16m. United said in a November 2024 filing they were paying Sporting £10m to hire Amorim to replace Erik ten Hag, whose exit was costing £10.4m. The combined changes around Amorim’s appointment could cost United £36.3m.
