Manchester United and Harry Maguire are reported to remain in positive discussions over the defender extending his contract at Old Trafford, but with an important concession.
As it stands, Maguire is due to be out of contract at the end of the current campaign, meaning he would become a free agent and able to join another club of his choosing. But the England international, having overcome previous problems with fitness and form, appears to still have an important role to play—especially in Ruben Amorim’s system.
A round of face-to-face talks were revealed to have taken place earlier this month, which Fabrizio Romano also referenced in his latest Here We Go Podcast episode on YouTube.
In this new update, the transfer specialist reiterated that both player and club are happy with each other, noting Maguire’s leadership role within the squad. But the key part of a successful negotiation is set to focus on the finances involved. It is said that Maguire is only likely to be offered a new contract on “different terms”, if he is prepared to “reduce his current salary”.
The six-year (plus 12 months) deal that Maguire signed when he joined United for £80 million ($106.4 million) covered the peak of his career, between the ages of 26 and 33. As he now enters the downslope towards eventual retirement, he is naturally no longer able to command the same salary.
Prior to an enforced squad-wide pay cut linked to failing to qualify for the Champions League this season, Maguire was thought to be earning around £190,000-per-week. Recent tabloid speculation in England suggested that United have been preparing a new offer worth £140,000 instead.
Man Utd Rebuffed Summer Interest in Maguire
Maguire effectively confirmed that Manchester United turned down approaches for him during the recent summer transfer window—earlier reports had claimed that three Premier League and two Serie A clubs were behind enquiries about his availability.
“I’m pretty sure the club have made it aware this summer that I can’t leave the club on any terms with other clubs inquiring about my things and my position with my contract,” he said.
“I’m sure over the next few months they’ll sit down and we’ll have to have a conversation about where we want to go and if they want to extend or the transfer window will open again in January.
“Obviously I have something in my mind about what I want to do and what I want to be. I don’t want to put it out there to everybody but it’s an amazing club to play for and you’d be silly if you wanted to jump out of it as soon as you could.”
The Red Devils were conversely prepared to offload Maguire in the summer of 2024 after accepting a £30 million proposal from West Ham United. It was the player himself who said no, preferring instead to fight for his place at Old Trafford.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd Set Key Condition for Harry Maguire Contract Extension—Report.