Paul Parker believes Harry Maguire’s time at Manchester United must end this summer, and also urges his old club to get rid of Mason Mount while they still can.
Manchester United host Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Maguire has been a mainstay in defence since returning from injury at the start of the year, and has played a pivotal role in the club’s rise in form under Michael Carrick.
Read: Leeds send scouts to follow Bodø/Glimt duo! 49ers consider sensational double attack deal
He has started every game since the interim boss took over the helm in January, but with only three months left on his contract at Old Trafford, his future is uncertain.
Talks have taken place to extend his stay, but with Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro ready in the wings, United could choose to look to the future.
With injuries resurging, Lisandro Martinez’s future has also been called into question, and Matthijs de Ligt is another who has struggled this season, not playing since late November due to a persistent back problem.
United have big decisions to make in defence this summer, and former right-back Parker believes Martinez could still have the chance to prove he can be a long-term option.
Read: Barcelona in meetings to sneak in the “Haaland signing queue”
And while Maguire has refuted his critics over the years, he suggests that it would be “foolhardy” for United to let emotions cloud their judgement when it comes to planning for the future.
“I just think at the end of the day, he’s done his time, he’s been through a lot of managers. I think it would be foolhardy to keep him,” Parker told Metro.
“You have two centre-backs. You already have Yoro and Heaven, you have the Ligt, you have Martinez.
“Keeping Maguire is like stopping two young players from developing. That’s what you’re going to do.
“And also, this nonsense they say, ‘oh it’s good to have him around’, he’s survived too many managers. Now he has played under Carrick, there is a good chance that another manager will come in. I just think that at the end of the day, you can’t let emotions get in the way of a team’s development.”
On Martinez, Parker added: “United need to invest in a centre-back. But if he were to come back and get a few games in at the end of the season, and then get a proper pre-season behind him, there’s a very good chance you’ll get someone who wants to play.”
Mount, on the other hand, has only been given one minute of game time under Carrick – late in the game against City back in January.
The former Chelsea star has been plagued by injuries since his move from Stamford Bridge in 2023, scoring just seven goals in almost three seasons in Manchester. He has made 66 appearances in that time, with only 29 of them starting.
Even when he is injury-free, Parker questions where the 27-year-old fits into the current line-up, and believes United should accept any offer they can get this summer.
“If you were to look at a starting eleven for Manchester United, would they choose him to start next season? The answer would be no,” Parker said.
“I don’t think people know where you would pick him to play. He’s not someone you start on the wing. He would be someone you start centrally, and the central part of it is the main part of it, the backbone of the team.
“I’m looking at it, and if someone comes in and offers you money, you have to take it.
“He hasn’t played much football, and then he’s disappeared again. He’s finished games, he’s come on as a substitute and you can’t see anything, the reasons why it’s working, whether something tactically has worked.”
Read on Swedish football: Signing Magnus Tomren Solheim from Stjørdals-Blink
