'Undroppable' Harry Maguire WILL get new Man Utd contract as club legend gives inside scoop on Michael Carrick's thinking

Maguire's future at Manchester United is uncertain as he heads into the final months of his contract. The defender has only started eight games this season but has returned from injury in 2026 and has made a big impact. Maguire has been named in the starting XI for Manchester United's last three matches which have brought wins over Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham in Carrick's first three games in charge. Maguire's appearance in the win over City was his first start since November and brought plenty of praise from Carrick.

He told reporters: "I felt it was a game for experience and knowing what it feels like. It was a big ask for H [Maguire] and credit to him. I think we can take for granted sometimes what players do but for him to play today and come through it. I’m not going to lie, it was a bit of a calculated gamble as well of how long he could play and if he could get through it because he’s literally trained for two or three days for probably eight or nine weeks, so it just shows you what it means really to him. I thought he was fantastic. Between him and Licha, they were so solid at the back and gave us the foundation to build on."

Brown, who played alongside Carrick, has now shared his thoughts and feels Maguire will stay. He told BettingLounge: "I love Harry Maguire. When people were giving him all that stick, they didn’t look at the facts. They just see that he’s not the quickest or something else but no Harry’s a very good player and absolutely brilliant in the air. He gives 100% in every game. He’s almost always in the right position. He’s got vast experience at all levels of the game. If Amorim were still in the job then Maguire definitely wouldn’t be getting a new contract but Michael Carrick’s come in and Harry’s playing and you’ve De Ligt and Yoro and some fantastic young defenders too who have excelled. So it’s a big decision. I think if it was up to Michael, he’d love to keep him because I think he’s proven he can get the job done. It’s as simple as that.

"At the same time you do have two potential players, along with Martinez, that can fill the gap who you are hoping will become big players, Yoro especially. He’s going to blossom. So if you could offer Maguire a one year deal and he’d take it, I think everybody would be happy with that. But football’s football. The way Harry’s playing at the moment, I’m sure there will be chats going on behind the scenes where other teams will be very interested in signing him up in the summer. I think the main thing for Harry is that he’s back playing football and everyone can see he's playing so well. I'm glad it's happened because of the circumstances that I've seen where players are not playing and then there's not much happening at the end of the season. You feel you still can play, still offer something, but it gets difficult."

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Brown also highlighted how United have looked far more defensively solid since Maguire and Lisandro Martinez, who has also missed a large cunk of the season due to injury, returned to the heart of the bacckline. He added: "Harry will have options at the end of the season and hopefully one of them is staying on at United but it will be up to Harry but what a transformation he’s had since coming back in. We’ve looked solid and we’ve missed Martinez too and the two of them together have been brilliant. Luke Shaw as well.

"It's just important that Harry stays fit and stays in the team because I think Michael's a manager where players, especially defenders, if they’re doing well, you don’t change them all the time. Maybe your full-backs but your centre-backs need to settle and get an understanding and then you’re solid. That’s Harry at the moment, especially under Michael. You can’t see him dropping out of the team the way he’s playing."

Maguire has started all three of Carrick's games in charge of Manchester United since he took over from Amorim and will expect to be in the starting XI again on Saturday when United host Spurs. If he can play regularly and continue to impress in the starting XI, then he will certainly boost his chances of being offered a contract extension come the summer.