According to the Metro, Harry Maguire declined the chance to play for Barcelona in order to focus on establishing himself at Manchester United.
The centre-back has not impressed since moving to Old Trafford from the King Power Stadium in 2019. The 29-year-old received harsh criticism from the crowd last season for his subpar performances. He has occasionally been the target of boos from the fans.
This summer, Barcelona made a move for the centre-back, but Maguire was uninterested. However, the Catalan side’s proposal didn’t change the centre-back’s decision. The former Leicester City defender instructed his agents to decline any offers, as a result.
The idea of playing Raphael Varane with Maguire had raised huge hopes last season. However, the pair has fallen short of everyone’s hopes. Their partnership occasionally seemed unsure of itself.
Victor Lindelof had consistent playing time in the backline as a result of the Frenchman’s injury issues and it looked like the Sweden international was considerably more stable.
Given the defensive shortcomings the Red Devils displayed last season, Erik ten Hag has now signed two new defenders. The backline has been strengthened with the addition of Lisandro Martinez from Ajax.
It will be interesting to observe how Ten Hag utilizes his defensive players. Martinez could play at a variety of positions, including defensive midfield. Hopefully, our skipper will have the chance to prove the doubters wrong this season.
