One of the signings which defined Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's time as Manchester United boss was the €87 million acquisition of Harry Maguire from Leicester City in the summer of 2019.
Maguire was one of Solskjaer's first signings as manager and, just half a year after signing for the club, he was club captain after the departure of Ashley Young.
Though he has struggled in more recent seasons since Solskjaer's departure, Maguire was an essential part of the Norwegian manager's early success at Manchester United, forming a solid (if unspectacular) defensive partnership with Victor Lindelof during his first two seasons with the club.
Maguire has, however, faced intense scrutiny as his time at Manchester United has gone on, as he reportedly clashed with Cristiano Ronaldo behind the scenes, before falling out of favour with the latest boss Erik Ten Hag. The role of captain had only amplified the focus on Maguire.
In an interview with the Athletic this week - his first in-depth interview since being sacked by Manchester United in November 2021 - Solskjaer spoke about Harry Maguire's role at the club - and appeared to suggest that Maguire had stood up and accepted the captaincy when other players were not prepared to take such responsibility.
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Harry Maguire: Solskjaer reveals why Englishman was handed Manchester United armband
When Harry Maguire arrived at Manchester United, he was a man in demand, with Pep Guardiola and Manchester City reportedly among the clubs who vied with United for the Englishman's signature.
The centre-back's form has nosedived in recent seasons, but it is easy to forget how impressive his performances routinely were in his first two seasons in red. Off the back of two seasons which saw United finish third and second in the Premier League, Maguire was sorely missed in the 2021 Europa League final, which he was forced out of through injury.
Harry Maguire in action against Villarreal in the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League. He missed the previous season's Europa League final defeat against the same opposition through injury (Photo: Shutterstock)
Given all of this excellent form came during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign, it is perhaps no surprise to hear the ex-United manager speak highly of Maguire, mentioning him alongside Bruno Fernandes in the bracket of his best signings at the club:
Harry Maguire – it’s a disgrace that he’s getting so much abuse. I feel sorry for him, but he’s a strong lad and I hope it turns for him. He raised our defence big time when he arrived and lifted the mood around the place. I can’t remember every signing I made, but I should because there was a cap on three main ones every season.
Since Solskjaer's departure, Maguire has struggled for consistent form, and has fallen down the pecking order at United as Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have established themselves as first-choice centre-backs at the club.
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Ahead of the 2023-24 season, Maguire was stripped of the captaincy and replaced by Bruno Fernandes. It was a role many were surprised to see Maguire thrown into during his first season at Old Trafford, with experienced names such as David de Gea, Nemanja Matic, and Paul Pogba all on the books at Manchester United at the time.
In his interview with the Athletic, Solskjaer revealed that he was disappointed that several players turned down the opportunity to take the armband, suggesting Maguire had stepped up when others were unwilling:
Some weren’t as good as their own perception of themselves. I won’t name names, but I was very disappointed when a couple turned down the chance to be captain. I was also disappointed when others said they wouldn’t play or train because they wanted to force their way out.
There was stuff in the media after I left about how I treated some players, which were complete lies, but I had a solid, honest relationship with most of them...
It is a fascinating revelation, and paints Maguire in a far more positive light than the criticism and vitriol which has become commonplace from certain sections of the Manchester United fanbase.
With injuries ravaging Erik Ten Hag's side in recent weeks, Maguire may have hoped for a chance to stake a claim for a starting place - until he too was caught up with the same injury wave ahead of United's daunting trip to Bayern Munich in their return to Champions League action.
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