Maguire says he wants to ‘play at the very top’
HARRY Maguire admits he is ‘ambitious’ and ‘wants to play at the top’ - even though he is ‘really happy’ at Leicester.
The 25-year-old is being monitored by United following a series of impressive displays at the World Cup as Jose Mourinho looks to spend big on yet another centre-back.
Maguire fits the ideal profile United set out to sign this summer - a defender aged between 23 and 29 who has played in the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga or the Bundesliga and is as comfortable with the ball at his feet as he is making a headed clearance.
The Leicester defender also offers a real threat at set-pieces - something United have lacked at times.
Indeed, Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly were the only centrebacks to get on the score sheet last season when Mourinho lamented how he had ‘central defenders in the air scoring goals from set-pieces’ at his previous clubs.
So what has Maguire made of that speculation linking him with a move to United after just one season at the King Power Stadium?
“Every player wants to play at the highest level. I’ve just come back from playing at a World Cup, where I really enjoyed the high pressure of the games,” he told the Sun. “It was something that I really thrived off.
“Leicester have been unbelievable to me and I’m really happy there but I’m also an ambitious player and everyone wants to play at the top.” JOSE Mourinho looks set to begin this season with precisely the same problem that plagued him last.
The United manager’s over-reliance on Romelu Lukaku was emphasised by the Belgian’s absence in the FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea. And as preparations for the Premier League kick off against Leicester gather pace - with a goalless draw against San Jose Earthquakes, he is still to find the ideal solution when his ‘Sergeant’ is not at the point of attack.
Mourinho has suggested the players who were involved at the World Cup up to the semi final stage will be absent from United’s start to the campaign.
That could mean he is without Lukaku, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford, Phil Jones and Ashley Young. And it’s arguable that no one will be missed more than Lukaku - Pogba included.
Anthony Martial should be the man at the head of the queue to deputise for last season’s leading scorer - but Mourinho’s lack of faith in him as a centre-forward is precisely the reason why the Frenchman’s future looks so uncertain.
His agent insists he wants to leave after growing frustrated by his lack of first team opportunities - and despite United’s refusal to consider letting him go this summer, his long-term position at the club looks bleak.
This tour was his opportunity to make a statement - and he still can - but Mourinho’s decision to switch him from the middle to the left after 45 minutes against San Jose Earthquakes spoke volumes.
Alexis Sanchez was moved inside from the start of the second half and immediately provided a defence-splitting pass that Juan Mata should have done better with.
The truth is the Chilean isn’t the answer there either, with his tendency to drop deep to receive the ball, leaving United without a focalpoint to their attack.
That is the role Lukaku provides and Mourinho simply doesn’t have a natural replacement.
That’s why links with physical and versatile forwards like Marko Arnautovic and Mario Mandzukic gathered momentum in the early part of the transfer window.
With less than three weeks until the start of the season, Mourinho is still to come up with a solution that enables him to stick to his preferred system.
It remains to be seen if he will go through with his threat to leave out the likes of Lukaku and Pogba - particularly given the lack of cutting edge United have shown in two games here in the US.
They rarely looked like finding a way past a San Jose side that had won just two games in five matches in what has been described as an ‘historically bad’ season.
Sanchez - thrown straight in at the deep end after having his visa issued cleared up - was United’s brightest spark.
He won and then delivered a freekick that saw Eric Bailly hit the bar from inside the six-yard box after just four minutes - and then his driving run and pass after the break saw Mata fail to most of the opening.
Scott McTominay’s header in the second half was too tame to concern goalkeeper Matt Bersano.
San Jose may have recorded a famous win themselves when Yeferson Quintana hit the bar with a late header.
For Mourinho, this is about building up fitness for that Leicester game - and the result will be of little consequence.
Yet the issue of who starts up front in that Friday night clash is no clearer.