One more game to go, the FA Cup Final on Saturday, but for all intents and purposes, the off-season is pretty much here and that means it is time to talk some transfer narratives. Today we focus on whether or not two polarizing players, Harry Maguire and Mason Greenwood, have a future at Manchester United or not.
With Greenwood, it is very complicated, on multiple levels, and we discussed that in detail, a couple days ago, over at this link.
And as it turns out, today brought some news on this front.
Once Saturday is out of the way, there will be a focus on the issue around Greenwood and how Man Utd deal with it.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) May 30, 2023
That tweet comes from Simon Stone of BBC Sport, and the source he cites is the chief football writer from The Times.
According to United manager Erik ten Hag, Greenwood’s future at the club will not be decided by him. He did however note that Greenwood has “showed in the past that he is capable of doing that “scoring goals.”
It is difficult to read the tea leaves on this, but one can infer from these remarks that Ten Hag is hinting at Greenwood potentially staying at the club. Which is especially interesting, given how the latest reports indicated that Greenwood felt his time at MUFC was up.
If he does leave, here is a link to a list of potential destinations.
We’ll see and watch this space.
Shifting gears to another United player who polarizes, Harry Maguire may have the captaincy, but he doesn’t have a major role with the club. And just like with Mason Greenwood, Ten Hag says that what happens with this player is not under his control.
It’s up to the 30-year-old central defender himself.
“Let’s say I’m happy he’s here and when we needed him he did his job,” the Dutchman said of the English international who broke the world record on transfer fees for a defender.
“But it’s also a decision he has to make. No-one would be happy with this situation. He is not as well. He trains always on the best levels with 100 per cent effort. So he handles that situation well and in his captaincy he’s important for the squad.
But he has high competition there with Raphael Varane who is fantastic.
Maguire, a player often referred to as Slab Head, has seen his form drop so badly that he was named to ESPN FC’s Worst XI of the Premier League season. So it will be a challenge to find a buyer for him this summer.
Given that United paid £80 million in transfer fee for him to Leicester City in 2019, the challenge to get something substantial in return for him will be tremendous.
Good luck with all of that.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.