Sir Jim Ratliffe has reportedly decided not to hand one of his Manchester United teammates a new deal, despite their public plea to stay at Old Trafford.
Rúben Amorim’s future at Manchester United is uncertain after the club’s poor start to the 2025/26 campaign. Losses to Brentford, Grimsby Town, Arsenal, and Manchester City have caused questions about the Portuguese’s suitability for the head coach role.
At the same time, questions have been raised about some of the players currently in the squad and who should remain beyond the end of the current campaign.
United are in desperate need of further reinforcements, with new signings required in the centre-back, midfielder, and left wing-back positions that are often mentioned as areas that require new additions.
Some also feel that 22-year-old Benjamin Šeško would benefit from playing alongside an experienced striker.
New incomings next summer will also mean that several players’ futures are at risk, starting with those who are out of contract at the end of June.
Ratcliffe will not hand Maguire new contract
Earlier in the summer, 33-year-old defender Harry Maguire stated that, amid his contract expiring at the end of the current season, he would be “silly” to want to jump ship and change clubs, publicly hinting that he wants to extend his current deal.
However, according to a report from The Mirror, the current expectation is that United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe will not be handing the England international a new contract.
Further, it’s claimed that Amorim is already preparing for life without Maguire in the side, which is evident considering that the defender has only started two of United’s seven Premier League games this season, and came off before the 70th minute in both fixtures.
Despite United’s poor form, 26-year-old Matthijs de Ligt has been a generally solid middle centre-back so far this season, and is a natural replacement for Maguire in Amorim’s back line.
Maguire possibly headed for Ronaldo reunion
Although Maguire has been demoted to a substitute role for most of the campaign so far, there is no doubt that he is still a good defender. At United, it may be thought that offering a new contract to a player who is likely to decline physically is a poor decision.
Recent reports instead suggest that the 33-year-old could be set for a sudden switch to the Saudi Pro League and could reunite with former United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
It has been reported in the British media that Maguire has become a target for Al-Ettifaq and Al-Nassr, led by Ronaldo, and could be in line for a significant pay increase.
Maguire is on a salary of around £190,000 a week if all bonuses in his contract are activated, but with his current deal set to expire in June 2026, he will be able to negotiate with other clubs from 1 January.
His status as a free agent and the Saudi Pro League’s deep pockets mean the English centre-half has leverage to command a massive pay hike, which may be attractive enough for him to forego the desire for a new contract at Old Trafford and instead head to the Middle East.
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