Manchester United defender Harry Maguire inching back to full fitness | OneFootball

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire is stepping up his recovery from a knee injury that ruled him out of Euro 2024.

United’s number five missed the last five games of the season, including the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

The England defender was originally included by Gareth Southgate in the preliminary squad but was dropped after the centre-back failed to recover in time.

The 31-year-old also missed United’s first pre-season game of the new season as a youthful squad lost 0-1 to Rosenborg in Norway on Monday.

According to the club’s official website, Maguire “is inching closer to a return from injury, after stepping up his rehabilitation programme at Carrington.”

He “is training individually on the grass at our training ground as part of his own recovery plan” and was photographed alongside Tyrell Malacia who is also undergoing his own fitness programme as he has not kicked a ball in anger since the 2022/23 season.

United will next play this Saturday against Glasgow Rangers in Edinburgh but it is unlikely that Maguire will be ready to play any part in that game as he has not yet joined team sessions.

Maguire was slated to be sold last summer and United accepted a bid from West Ham United but the Hammers were unable to agree personal terms with the player.

The England international went on to have somewhat of a positive season, as he played 31 games in all competitions, scoring four goals, including a bullet header in the FA Cup semi-final victory over Coventry City.

In spite of an uptick in form last season, Maguire’s future is still very much up in the air.

The Red Devils have had a bid accepted and are in negotiations with Leny Yoro, are also locked in talks with Bayern Munich for Matthijs de Ligt and had two bids rejected for Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite.

With Jonny Evans also signing a new one year deal, Maguire and Victor Lindelof may not have much of a future at Old Trafford, as the club aims to generate funds in the midst of PSR restrictions.

The £80 million acquisition from Leicester City has been linked with moves to Barcelona, AC Milan and Bayern Munich but perhaps a transfer to a mid-table Premier League club would be more realistic should the club decide to part ways with the former captain.

It has been reported that he is determined to stay on and fight for his place in the team but if United bring in two central defenders this summer, it would surely mean Maguire drops down the pecking order.

It is unclear whether he would be happy with such an arrangement at this stage of his career.

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