However, it quickly became apparent that Maguire had slipped down the pecking order, sitting on the bench while Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof and even Luke Shaw played ahead of him in central defence.
And earlier this month, Ten Hag stripped his No 5 of the club captaincy, handing it to Bruno Fernandes in a sign that Maguire is set for another year on the periphery.
The United boss also implied that he was happy for David de Gea to continue as his No 1 in April, describing him as the “complete goalkeeper” as he neared the Premier League Golden Glove.
Fast forward three months, the Spaniard is a free agent after Ten Hag refused to sanction a contract extension, signing Andre Onana as his replacement.
Marcus Rashford also felt the wrath of his all-business persona, dropping to the bench for lateness in a 1-0 win at Wolves despite being one of Ten Hag’s most crucial stars.
According to Ten Hag, United are “making progress” in signing a new striker. And when he arrives, Martial’s status at the club will likely be in a more intense state of jeopardy, despite his manager’s glowing assessment.
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