Deal Confirmed – Man Utd’s Harry Maguire told “match made in heaven” transfer can mask his ‘limitations’

Harry Maguire has been pushed to join Aston Villa in the summer, claiming that the Midlands club would be ideal for him to rehabilitate his reputation following a rough stint at Manchester United.

Maguire, 30, has struggled this season after losing his starting berth under Erik ten Hag and is poised to depart Old Trafford at the conclusion of the season in search of regular action elsewhere.

And Stan Collymore reckons Maguire could do worse than rejoin his previous club Aston Villa, who were linked with the England international back in January and have been on a roll under Unai Emery.

“Although I think the criticism he receives is hugely unfair at times, I think Harry Maguire has to leave Old Trafford at the end of the season,” Collymore told CaughtOffside.

“He’s a quality center-back who puts his body on the line, but he does have his limitations; it’s just a case of putting others around him to mask those areas of weakness, and I think a team like Aston Villa can offer him that.” I’d love to see him at Villa Park, and if I could, I’d drive him from Manchester to the Midlands myself.

“A club like Aston Villa and Maguire would be a match made in heaven – they’re big enough to match his ambition, they’ve got an experienced manager who could definitely get the best out of him, and competition for Tyrone Mings would only be a positive thing.”

Maguire is still Manchester United’s captain, despite losing his first-team berth to summer acquisition Lisandro Martinez. The former Leicester City man was given a reprieve earlier this month when Martinez and Raphael Varane both sustained injuries, allowing Maguire to make his first-team debut.

However, he was strongly chastised for his role in one of United’s three goals against Sevilla last week, as the LaLiga outfit knocked them out of the Europa League.

Former Manchester United midfielder Rio Ferdinand has cautioned Maguire that he might be overtaken in the pecking order by Luke Shaw after the left-back impressed again in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final win against Brighton.

“I don’t think he [Ten Hag] changes the team now in terms of the two center-backs,” Ferdinand stated on his FIVE YouTube show. I remember how confident they appeared – we were never on the ropes.

“There were a couple of glimmers for Brighton and half sniffs, but there was no panic at the back.” [Ten Hag] will go off performance and off today, and I don’t see him changing that pairing unless Varane or Martinez return to fitness.”