Harry Maguire is considering rejecting a lucrative £500,000-per-week offer from Saudi Arabia to extend his Manchester United career. The defender's contract expires at the end of this season, with Al-Ettifaq and Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr both prepared to offer the mega-money deal.
The 33-year-old has been seriously considering the opportunity as he approaches the twilight of his career. Manchester United had initially been cool on providing him with a new deal, but the club are now considering offering Maguire a final contract after all.
England career concerns
Maguire is mindful that a move to Saudi Arabia could damage his chances of extending his England career after the World Cup. This consideration applies whether Thomas Tuchel or another manager takes charge of the national team in future.
Talks between the club and the defender are set to take place over the next few weeks. The Red Devils' change of heart comes as they reassess their defensive options under Ruben Amorim.
Youth injury scare
Promising defender Ayden Heaven suffered a worrying knock during England Under-20s' match against Switzerland on Friday. The 19-year-old required lengthy treatment in the early stages but continued playing before being substituted at half-time as a precaution.
England U20s boss Ben Futcher provided reassurance about the injury's severity. He said: "He picked something up. I don't think it is too serious but we will have to see how it settles down." Heaven has been a regular on United's bench this season and is expected to be involved in the upcoming Liverpool match.
Takeover speculation backdrop
Saudi Arabia sports mogul Turki Al-Sheikh sparked fresh takeover speculation with a social media post about possible investment in Manchester United. Only the Mirror reports that the Glazers could consider a full sale for £5 billion, though club insiders were reportedly taken aback by the initial declaration.
Al-Sheikh subsequently posted: "My post about Manchester United's potential sale meant one thing: the club is in an advanced negotiation phase with a new investor. Just to clarify, I am not the investor, nor are they from my nation." He described himself as a fan who wishes for a deal to happen, though acknowledged it might not materialise.
United face Liverpool next Sunday as Amorim aims to secure back-to-back wins for the first time as manager. The Portuguese coach recently secured a crucial victory over Sunderland, moving United within six points of the Premier League summit.
Sources used: "Mirror", "Manchester Evening News", "Daily Star" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
