Maguire has had a chaotic career as a Manchester United player. Just four years ago, Maguire moved to Manchester United for £90m. If the club spends enough on the right player, United could get their own version of Virgil van Dijk.
The Dutchman from Liverpool at that moment was the pinnacle of defensive prowess. A man with a choice for every situation. He could pass the ball. He could score goals. And all this on top of all the usual qualities of a central defender: strength, speed and a remarkable result in the 2018-2019 season, when no opponent managed to get past him. He was the PFA Player of the Year and gave others the idea that it could all be in one player. The Swiss army knife of a centre-back who didn't need anyone to cover his weaknesses.
Maguire arrived at United with such expectations. But he's never been that protective. He wasn't even like that at Leicester, where Johnny Evans was arguably the older centre-back when he played and Ricardo Pereira, the right-back, was the club's best player of the season. Maguire had several strengths, one of which was his stamina to play a large number of games. He was unusually agile with the ball for a defender of such an ordinary build.
However, there were big gaps in his game as well, and they showed up consistently at the often chaotic United in his four years as he played under four managers on his journey from virtually ubiquitous in his first season to accident-prone. to reserve captain. Dark line of travel. Van Dijk remains one of the best defenders in the Premier League, but even he can't keep up with the results he showed in his first two years at Liverpool.
Van Dijk's early influence on Liverpool was huge. Photo: Getty Images/Andrew Powell
At West Ham, Maguire would have had more orthodox expectations. It is impossible to escape the baggage of the past, although this experience also provides a certain amount of wisdom. West Ham are a club where a deeper line of defense is often an acceptable approach, and defeat, frankly, is not always shocking. It feels like the 30-year-old centre-back could find redemption. Conquer the fans with worthy performances. Has proven himself to be an attractive figure, once knocked down but now back on his feet. Doing it for West Ham, whatever it is in 2023-24. There is value in this too.
Maguire spent his best years at United. Sometimes the timing is wrong. It has been four crazy years in the life of the club, and so far, despite all the influence of Eric ten Hag, this instability persists. However, even in this case, Maguire does not see the prospect of returning to the first team on a permanent basis. It's hard to leave Manchester United, especially when you can make the argument that events conspired against him. The exit route proposed by West Ham is not shameful.
He spent his career at underdog clubs: Sheffield United, Hull City, even Leicester. English game, at the time he was there. At 30, with Gareth Southgate's trust hanging in the balance over his place in England, it's time to seize the chance to start over somewhere else. It will feel relieved.
If he had moved to Manchester City, who refused to live up to Leicester's assessment in the summer of 2019, could it have been different? Maguire would have benefited from a much more stable team, but City were also ruthless with those who did not live up to their standards. Pep Guardiola changes defenders. In particular, for John Stones, Maguire's England defensive partner, he offers a variety of roles. Maguire could also have ended up lower in the pecking order from the start. Stones is currently the best center back in the league. Even he doesn't play for City in every game.
Were City going to promote Maguire in the summer of 2019? The summer that Vincent Kompany left, they never signed a centre-back. Rubén Diaz, who joined in 2020, is the Stones' right-left side additional partner.
Maguire lost Manchester United captain after graduation last season. Photo: Getty Images/Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno
City's four treble defenders last season often included four centre-backs, with Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji co-opted at full-back. It is now the prototype of a title-winning defensive line-up, a flex-evolving back line with different players performing different tasks. Maguire came to United when it seemed like they needed someone to save them defensively, and little by little, due to the price paid and the mood of the time, a lot of that fell on his shoulders.
He will certainly have an exciting story to tell about his career when it is over, and it is far from over. Not exactly what he expected or hoped for when it came to United. In his determination to get through the most difficult moments, the intention and spirit were remarkable. Now there's a new opportunity — not as glamorous as the one offered four years ago, but valuable nonetheless. This is how it happens sometimes. At the very least, expectations, if he decides to take this step, will be much more reasonable.
Further journey: Premier League preview
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