Once the FA Cup final is done and dusted, it’s time for Erik ten Hag and his Man United recruitment department to get busy with transfers.
Regardless of the result on Saturday, there’s been a noticeable improvement in results across the season for the Red Devils.
The Dutchman has made important, if difficult decisions, but all have been shown to be for the benefit of the team. None more so than the dropping of captain, Harry Maguire.
If the centre-back thought that it was going to be a little blip in his Old Trafford career when he was first benched, it quickly became apparent that was not the case.
Very simply, and stating the obvious, he is not a ten Hag type of player.
He doesn’t have the mobility, he is slow and cumbersome and his distribution is awful. There’s simply no way back for Maguire, despite what appeared to be an olive branch from the manager.
“Let’s say I’m happy he’s here and when we needed him he did his job. But it’s also a decision he has to make,” he said in an interview with The Times (subscription required).
“No one would be happy with this situation. He is not as well.”
Ten Hag has basically told Maguire exactly how it’s going to be from this point and if the defender has got any personal pride left after the battering he’s taken recently, then he’ll find another club as soon as possible.
It’s a shame for a player who has always given his best when called upon but whose shortcomings have been cruelly exposed time and again.