Manchester United boss Michael Carrick has expressed his ‘delight’ at seeing England defender Harry Maguire sign a new one-year contract with the Red Devils.
Maguire fell out of favour under previous manager Ruben Amorim, whose insistence on playing a 3-4-3 formation ultimately led to his departure from Old Trafford.
Carrick then took the reins on an interim basis – and immediately brought Maguire in from the cold, being rewarded with a 2-0 Manchester derby win over Man City in January.
That victory was quickly followed by a stunning 3-2 away win over Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, and Carrick has since steered United to third place in the Premier League table with just seven games remaining.
Maguire’s new deal has the additional option of a further 12 months, with Carrick admitting the 33-year-old, who joined United from Leicester City in August 2019 for £80million, has played a pivotal part in the club’s resurgence in recent months.
Terrific form
The former Middlesbrough manager told Sky Sports: “We are delighted that Harry has agreed. Stability and consistency. He is important and he has been through everything at this club.
“He knows what it is all about. He’s been terrific since I came back. Credit to him for that.
“Experience is important. We’ve got a really good mix in the squad of some talented and high-end ability younger players. You’ve got a good number at the peak years.
“Harry is at that stage where he is getting a little bit further down the line in terms of career.
“But it doesn’t diminish the importance of what he can be, the example and the understanding, knowing what it feels like to be here.”
Not a difficult decision
Carrick added: “Having him around for longer is fantastic for all of us.
“I was part of discussions. It is a little bit unique in terms of the end of the season.
“In terms of an opinion, I think it is pretty obvious how Harry has been and what he brings to the group. It was not a difficult decision.
“Everyone that is part of it is delighted that it has worked out and worked out so quickly.”
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World Cup hope
Maguire is also back in favour with England boss Thomas Tuchel and could well be a key cog in the German’s plans for World Cup 2026 in the USA, Mexico and Canada this summer.
In seven seasons at Old Trafford, Maguire has lifted the FA Cup and League Cup, scoring 17 goals in 266 appearances across all competitions.
The powerful centre-back told the club’s official website: “Representing Manchester United is the ultimate honour. It is a responsibility that makes myself and my family proud every single day.
“I am delighted to extend my journey at this incredible club to at least eight seasons and continue to play in front of our special supporters to create more amazing moments together.
“You can feel the ambition and potential of this exciting squad.
“The determination throughout the whole club to fight for major trophies is clear for everyone to see and I am confident that our best moments together remain ahead of us.”
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