Secret reason behind Harry Maguire’s contract extension has nothing to do with his Manchester United form

The secret reason behind Harry Maguire’s contract extension has nothing to do with his good form under Rúben Amorim since the beginning of December.

Harry Maguire perfectly embodies the saying “hard times never last” during his five-and-a-half seasons at Manchester United.

Signed in 2019 for a world-record £80 million fee for a defender, Ole Gunnar Solskjær brought him in from Leicester City with high expectations.

Maguire was quickly handed the captain’s armband, but his inconsistent form over the years led to frustration among fans, many calling for his departure.

That moment nearly came when United agreed on a £30 million deal with West Ham United after he was stripped of the captaincy, with Bruno Fernandes taking over the role.

Yet, since then, the English defender has been quietly rediscovering his best form. Under Rúben Amorim’s management, Maguire has earned widespread praise for his commanding performances in United’s back three, proving his resilience and determination to succeed.

Maguire’s contract extension confirmed

Earlier this month, Amorim confirmed that the club had chosen to trigger the one-year extension clause in the England centre-back’s contract as they wanted to keep him from leaving for free the coming summer.

Harry Maguire, we are going to trigger our option,” Amorim told reporters at the beginning of the month.

“I spoke with him [Harry] this morning and I told him he has to improve his game on the pitch. We need him a lot and also he needs to improve as a leader.

“We all know the situation that he had here but we need him a lot in this moment so we are going to trigger, happily, the option for Harry.”

A second secret reason for his extension

United’s financials have been all over the place since the Glazer family purchased the club in 2005, lumping all their debt onto the club’s books.

Read More: “Best business since 2011…” Manchester United fans will grimace after Champions League heroics from 2024 target

In a new deep dive into the club’s finance records from The Athletic, it has been revealed that Maguire’s extension has also provided the club with a little bit of financial freedom.

The club currently owe £319 million in transfer fees, and Maguire is on record as one of the club’s most expensive players, with United paying Leicester City £80 million for him in 2019.

However, the club’s decision to activate his one-year contract extension has now allowed them to stretch the amortisation of his extraordinary fee across six seasons instead of five, which now gives the impression of having spent less money per season for the asset within the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulation calculations.

United were able to pass the PSR test for the 2023/24 season, but United’s funding remains tight for 2024/25.

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