Harry Maguire was the most expensive player on the pitch when England beat Denmark in the European Championship.
When Manchester United completed their £ 80m transfer from Leicester for Maguire two years ago, eyebrows raised over the high fee Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was happy to pay. But in the last two seasons and at the tournament this summer, this decision has been emphatically confirmed.
Maguire has become an absolute mainstay for the club and the country and his worth may not be appreciated until he’s absent from the starting XI – which he’s rare – as United found out the hard way when humiliated in the Europa League final were.
The 28-year-old has been largely healthy throughout his career, but the ankle injury he sustained against Aston Villa in early May put him out of action for several weeks and then lost the fitness race for the opening games Euro 2020.
Maguire made his comeback against the Czech Republic and has made a flawless transition back to the heart of the defense for Gareth Southgate’s side, immediately relaunching his excellent relationship with Manchester City’s John Stones in defense.
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Although the two will be rivals when the Premier League season resumes, together they were outstanding for England and the Three Lions conceded just one goal at the tournament en route to the final. It speaks louder than any word can.
Harry Kane may be England’s captain, but Maguire is England’s staunch captain; The central defender’s leadership qualities, sovereign self-confidence and a brilliant passing game were again abundant in the semifinals and he has had some outstanding weeks behind him.
This comes as no surprise to United fans who have had the pleasure of seeing Maguire on a regular basis.
If Solskjaer finds a suitable elite center-back in the transfer market, Maguire United appears to be leading to their most credible title challenge since Sir Alex Ferguson’s resignation.
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On the subject of matching items
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On the subject of matching items
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While scenes of joy erupted across the nation on Wednesday evening after England’s triumph over Denmark, and amid the noise of “It’s coming home” going through the streets, statistics have surfaced showing how strong Maguire’s performance was.
Maguire made six passes into the final third, won two of his three tackles, recovered the ball nine times and also managed two shots on goal – he also impressively won 17 of the 20 air duels he contested at Euro 2020.
It only seems like a matter of time before an English player, perhaps Kane, for example, completes a transfer that will surpass Maguire as the nation’s most expensive player.
But the United center-back has not wavered under the weight of the day.
Instead, he has become one of the best defenders in the world and United and England are lucky to have him.
