Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has signed a contract extension at the club.
The deal is understood to be a one-year addition to his current one which had been set to expire in June, and will keep him at the club until the summer of 2027. United also have the option of extending it for a further year.
Maguire, 33, has been in impressive form as Michael Carrick’s side have risen to third in the Premier League with seven games left to play.
He has also been recalled by England for the first time since September 2024 and is desperate to play in the World Cup finals this summer.
Maguire, the world’s most expensive defender when he moved to Old Trafford from Leicester City for £80 million in 2019, could have left United at the end of this season as there was plenty of concrete interest in him. Four Serie A clubs, three Premier League clubs and one Turkish side wanted to sign him in what would have been a free transfer deal.
He could have earned more money elsewhere but is settled in Manchester with his wife and two children and happy at United where he is an important figure in the dressing room.
United waited before negotiating a new deal. Maguire wasn’t playing until January and the club’s status for next season was unsure. Now, it’s looking increasingly likely that United will return to playing European football and will need a larger squad.
Maguire’s experience is also useful at a club where there are high hopes that Leny Yoro, 20, and Ayden Heaven, 19, will mature into a long-term central defensive partnership.
Maguire’s return from injury in January coincided with Carrick’s appointment. Unlike during previous injuries, Maguire didn’t rush back to play when he was 90 per cent fit. He waited until he was 100 per cent and United are benefiting from that form. His presence is especially important given injuries to fellow central defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez.
Ironically, he will miss the club’s next game – Monday night’s match against Leeds United – after he was sent off against Bournemouth last month.
When his next outing arrives, it will be his 600th appearance in club football following spells at Sheffield United (166 games), Hull City (75), Wigan Athletic (16) and Leicester City (76), before his 2019 move to United (266).
