Erik ten Hag aimed ‘stupid’ remark at Harry Maguire before agreeing £30m sale

Premier League season preview: Man Utd

Harry Maguire hasn’t yet completed his summer transfer to West Ham United after Manchester United agreed a £30million bid earlier this week. But his potential final game for the club featured a moment to forget, which Erik ten Hag described as “stupid” after full-time.

Maguire is on his way out of Old Trafford four years after becoming the world’s most expensive defender – an £80m record that still stands.

But when asked whether the 30-year-old defender is in contention to face Wolves in United’s season curtain-raiser on Monday, “of course” was Ten Hag’s answer.

Whether Maguire will feature is another question, given that Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez are set to resume their centre-back partnership.

He will hope for a chance to say goodbye to the Old Trafford crowd, though, after failing to shower himself in glory in what could be his final appearance in red.

United faced Athletic Club at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin in their pre-season finale last Sunday, drawing 1-1 after Facundo Pellistri’s last-gasp leveller.

Bilbao took the lead in the first half through a horrendous Maguire clanger, prompting some boos from United fans in attendance in the aftermath.

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The Red Devils No 5 produced a lazy pass, which Oihan Sancet intercepted before slipping through Nico Williams, who opened the scoring on 29 minutes.

He earned some redemption by teeing up Pellistri for the young Uruguayan’s late equaliser but fielded mass criticism for his role in the La Liga side’s goal.

Ten Hag was far from happy, either, praising his fringe players for fighting back after carelessly falling behind.

“It was a stupid goal,” Ten Hag told MUTV. “We went down, but we scored [late on]. We showed character, and we need that for the season.”

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Maguire is in desperate need of a fresh start after a disastrous end to his United career, especially with England’s Euro 2024 campaign on the horizon.

United have reportedly landed on three potential replacements to offer Varane, Martinez, and Lindelof competition this term.

Ten Hag has shortlisted Benjamin Pavard, Jean-Clair Todibo, and Edmond Tapsoba, three right-sided centre-halves.

And Fabrizio Romano claims that United are pressing forward with efforts to recruit Pavard from Bayern Munich after he entered the final 12 months of his contract.

The 27-year-old allegedly has no intention to extend his current deal in Bavaria and is valued at around £26m.

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