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Rio Ferdinand warns Harry Maguire that he will only be a squad player if he stays at Man United
Published 10:16 20 Jul 2023 BST
Updated 10:17 20 Jul 2023 BST
Homesport
Maguire was recently stripped of the captaincy
Rio Ferdinand has warned Harry Maguire that he runs the risk of only being a squad player if he stays at Manchester United.
Maguire recently confirmed that he would no longer be the club's captain heading into the new season following talks with Erik ten Hag, leading to question marks over his future at Old Trafford.
The 30-year-old is one of 13 players available for transfer however United will not push him out the door if he wishes to stay and fight for his place.
Last season, Maguire fell to fourth choice behind Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof.
Luke Shaw was also preferred at centre back on some occasions and former United defender Ferdinand has told the England international that he may be nothing more than a bit-part player if he stays.
He told TNT Sports: "Erik ten Hag has a particular way of playing. He has to choose players that suit his style of football, and Harry Maguire does not fit the bill.
"He brought in Martinez and Varane to fit his philosophy and those will be his first-choice centre-backs next season.
"It will have been really difficult for Maguire, after playing so well for England (at the 2022 World Cup), coming back to Manchester United to be a substitute.
"The question now is, what does he want to do? Does he want to be a squad player or does he want to be a starter in another team?
"If he is happy being a squad player at Manchester United then he stays, if he doesn't then he will go. But he will be a sub if he stays at United."
West Ham are reportedly one of the clubs interested in signing Maguire this summer and may use some of the money they received from the sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal to try and fund the move.
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