Harry Maguire could be forced to quit Manchester United this summer due to concerns over his England place.
The Red Devils captain has endured a woeful campaign at Old Trafford - his first under the stewardship of Erik ten Hag. He fell down the pecking order immediately after the arrival of Lisandro Martinez as the Argentine established an excellent partnership with Raphael Varane.
That has limited Maguire to just seven Premier League starts this term in what represents a dramatic downfall from still the most expensive defender in world football. Even when the centre-back has played, he has failed to convince.
A number of error-strewn displays has seen his position called into further question in recent weeks, with mistakes in the Red Devils' Europa League showdown with Sevilla ultimately costing the side their place in Europe.
Now, Maguire appears to be edging towards an Old Trafford exit in an effort to salvage his international career - having previously been determined to stay put. According to Mail Online, the 30-year-old is growing fearful that he may have to leave United.
It was previously suggested that he wanted to stay with the club and was determined to win his place back under Ten Hag. Asked if he had given any thought to his future last month, the former Leicester star replied: “No. There’s a game every three days and I’m training as hard as I can.
"I’m in a good place mentally and physically, I feel good. The training sessions are really intense, especially the day after a game.
"There will be lads unhappy because they’ve not played or sat on the bench. That’s part of football, but it adds more competition and high-quality training where the lads are covering similar distances to what they do in a game. That’s a credit to the players and the coaching staff here putting on those sessions."
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But he is concerned that a continued lack of action with the Red Devils could cost him a place in the England squad for next summer’s Euros - despite being a long-time first choice for Gareth Southgate.
Maguire has made 55 appearances for England throughout his career and has been a near ever-present under current Three Lions boss Southgate. He played a key role as the side reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, whilst he was also a crucial performer in their run to the Euro 2020 final.
Maguire currently has two years left on his contract at United. Premier League rivals West Ham were linked with a swoop in January, whilst Italian giants Inter Milan and Roma were credited with an interest too.
In the time since arriving at Old Trafford under the stewardship of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the defender has made 172 appearances in all competitions and finally lifted his first trophy earlier this season following the Carabao Cup victory over Newcastle.