Harry Maguire: United ace reveals why he is relishing Hull City clash | OneFootball

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Manchester United defender Harry Maguire is looking forward to facing his former club Hull City later this month. The English defender signed a new deal with the Red Devils in April this year and is now tied to the club until at least the end of the season.

Maguire enjoyed a stellar end to the 2025/26 season and was indispensable for Michael Carrick in United’s march to a third-placed finish. The English giants secured qualification for the Champions League after an absence of two years and will be competing in the new format for the first time.

INEOS are subsequently preparing for a fixture-congested campaign and have already upgraded their midfield over the summer. Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans have been added to a squad that has been weakened by the departure of Casemiro over the summer.

The Red Devils have performed admirably in pre-season, picking up two wins, one draw and one defeat in their four pre-season games. Maguire, of course, has been a regular feature so far, striking up a partnership with Ayden Heaven in the absence of Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt.

Maguire’s pre-season in a nutshell

Maguire has started every game for United in pre-season so far and has managed to hold his own as well. The Englishman started preparations for the new season with a 45-minute run against Wrexham in the 1-0 defeat at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.

That was followed by another first-half appearance against Rosenborg at the Lerkendal Stadium, where the Red Devils picked up a commanding 5-0 victory. Maguire also started the hard-fought 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid at the Strawberry Arena in the third pre-season tie and played for 73 minutes.

The 33 year old completed the full 90 minutes against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last weekend at the Nya Ullevi, and was one of the best players on the pitch. Maguire’s passing prowess was on full display, with the player registering nine long balls, seven of which found their man.

The Englishman also registered one key pass, suggesting that he will be crucial to Carrick’s plans for the upcoming campaign. United start the 2026/27 campaign with a game against newly promoted Hull City and Maguire has now shared his views on the fixture.

United ace eager to face former club

Speaking to the club’s media, Maguire acknowledged that he is looking forward to returning to the MKM Stadium. He said: “That’ll be an amazing occasion for me, first Premier League game, they’ve been promoted as well, so the atmosphere’s going to be electric there.”

“I had an amazing time at Hull, loved the club, loved the fans, and they’ve been a big part of my journey, where I started to believe I was a real top player and could play at the highest level.”

The Englishman went on to thank the Tigers and the fans, but was clear where his loyalty lies now. He concluded: “I thank them [Hull] for everything, I thank the fans for everything, but it will not be friendly on the day, first game of the season. I really do wish them all the best this year.”

Maguire spent three seasons with Hull City after joining from Sheffield United in 2014, registering three goals and five assists in 75 games. He left to join Leicester City in the summer of 2017, before moving to Old Trafford two years later.

Final Thoughts

Maguire may be on the wrong side of 30, but the player has already shown that he has a lot of football left in him. The English defender’s presence will also help Heaven and Leny Yoro to hone their skills, so INEOS made a wise move by tying him down to a new deal.