Manchester United fans have taken to Twitter en masse to make their views heard, following the announcement that their top transfer target Harry Maguire has signed a new five-year deal with Leicester City.
The England international put pen to paper on a new deal with the Foxes, to the outrage of many United fans, who had been desperate to see the 2018 World Cup star make the step up to play at Old Trafford. However, it appears that Maguire intends to stay in the East Midlands for the long term, and here's how fans of the Red Devils reacted on Twitter:
Harry Maguire signed a new 5 year deal and i guess we have all seen what a proper CB he is,so is Toby Alderweireld.This got to show the @ManUtd family that Ed Woodward is bad for the club if he is to make decisions to deny the coach such talents.
— Man Utd fan (@jshoko2008) September 9, 2018
Harry Maguire signing a new 5 year contract at Leicester has dashed my dreams of seeing him rocking the United shirt at Old Trafford any time soon.
— Stav (@AndyWilmot1) September 9, 2018
Gutted as I was hoping you would be joining united but respect the loyalty from you , which is a rare thing with footballers nowadays
— Alan Maxwell (@maxwell2475) September 9, 2018
Harry Maguire is the latest player to use United for a new, improved contract
— GAGE (@XOGAGE) September 9, 2018
While a number of United fans are clearly disappointed with the news, some have suggested that given the disposable nature of modern day football contracts, Maguire's deal may merely be a ploy from the club to up the player's value, thus securing a higher fee when a big club comes calling for the towering centre-back:
Harry Maguire signing a five year deal does not end a potential move to Manchester United, or any other big club. It just increases his wages until January / next summer, and ensures Leicester can demand a higher fee for him. Contracts mean nothing in the modern game. #lcfc #mufc
— Adam Keys (@_AdamKeys) September 9, 2018
So probably a transfer in January on the cards eh?
— Sidney David Alberts (@Hungry24Joey) September 9, 2018
Tell Woodward to bring his treasure chest and his check book
— injured4life (@INJURED4LIFE) September 9, 2018
It remains whether to be seen whether Maguire will remain with the Foxes for the long term, and it could be argued that the former Sheffield United man will need to leave the club if he ever wishes to play Champions League football.
The 25-year-old is arguably moving towards the prime of his career, and is likely to draw more interest as he continues to develop.
Meanwhile, former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has reportedly prepared a list of players he wishes to sign for Manchester United, should the club decide to dispose of José Mourinho in the coming months. Zidane is believed to be interested in taking over at Old Trafford, and the report claims he's expecting a call in the near future to offer him the job.