{"id":424071,"date":"2026-01-21T17:47:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T17:47:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/424071\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T17:47:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T17:47:16","slug":"excellent-harry-maguire-tells-man-utd-fans-ex-teammate-was-underrated-after-watching-him-in-his-prime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/424071\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Excellent’… Harry Maguire tells Man Utd fans ex-teammate was ‘underrated’ after watching him in his ‘prime’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Harry Maguire has admitted that he saw a lot of the \u201cquality\u201d that one \u201creally calm\u201d former Manchester United player had after playing alongside him.<\/p>\n

The 32-year-old former Manchester United captain\u2019s<\/a> time at Old Trafford<\/a> appears set to end in 2026 after entering the final six months of his existing deal at the Red Devils.<\/p>\n

HOW will Harry Maguire be remembered at Manchester United?\ud83d\udca5 <\/p>\n

\"HarryPhoto by Carl Recine\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc47 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say <\/p>\n

United<\/a> activated the 12-month extension that was inserted in Harry Maguire\u2019s<\/a> previous deal in 2024 during Ruben Amorim\u2019s<\/a> reign at the Premier League club.<\/p>\n

However, Maguire\u2019s long-term future at the Red Devils remains uncertain and the England international could leave at the end of the 2025-26 Premier League season.<\/p>\n

The Man Utd defender is free to speak with clubs outside of England and could sign a pre-contract agreement ahead of becoming a free agent in the summer.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Wayne Rooney convinced \u2018very clever\u2019 Arsenal player could cause Man Utd big problems, his \u2018anticipation\u2019 stands out<\/a><\/p>\n

\"HarryPhoto by Copa\/Getty ImagesHarry Maguire singles out former Man Utd defender Jonny Evans after playing alongside him at Old Trafford<\/p>\n

Jonny Evans<\/a> called it time on his longstanding playing career at Manchester United after he made his exit from the Premier League club last summer.<\/p>\n

The 38-year-old saw his contract expire at the end of the 2024-25 season and Jonny Evans opted to retire and initially took a behind-the-scenes role at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Manchester United\u2019s official website<\/a>, Harry Maguire insisted that Evans would be the perfect blueprint for any up-and-coming defender to study deeply.<\/p>\n

With Ruben Amorim SACKED, where will Manchester United finish in 2025\/26? <\/p>\n

Let’s see your predictions!<\/p>\n

\"PatrickPhoto by Molly Darlington\/Copa\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc47 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a great guy,\u201d he said, before adding: \u201cReally calm, a real good player. When I speak about underrated players, I\u2019d say Jonny, for me, was probably the most underrated player I\u2019ve ever played with.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I was [sic] a young boy, or I was teaching someone to watch defending and watch body positioning and watch movement, I\u2019d say: \u2018Watch Jonny Evans.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was that good at his body positioning and the way that he\u2019s so active in every part of the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot more things to defending than making last-ditch tackles and making big challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Antonio Conte sends same powerful message to Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominay as all other Napoli players<\/a><\/p>\n

What Man Utd star Harry Maguire noticed about Jonny Evans during his \u2018prime\u2019 form away from Old Trafford<\/p>\n

Jonny Evans left Old Trafford in 2015 under Louis van Gaal\u2019s<\/a> reign and went on to play for West Brom before he finally settled at Leicester City in 2018.<\/p>\n

The former Man Utd centre-back would stay with the Foxes until 2023 ahead of his return to Old Trafford under ex-Red Devils and Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Who do you think will be Man Utd manager at the start of the 2026\/27 season? <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd2e Let us know who you believe will and should be in charge? Who will Ineos appoint?<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc47 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say <\/p>\n

According to Maguire, he crossed paths with Evans when his former teammate was in his \u201cprime\u201d at Leicester City and explained what United fans<\/a> did not see.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey get the plaudits from the fans, but your body positioning, your footwork, the understanding of where you need to be\u2026 and the main thing as a defender, I always say, is being active in every part of the game, and Jonny was the best I\u2019ve played with in terms of that,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo he was an excellent player, and obviously coming towards the end when he came back to us at the club.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you could still see his quality. I saw a lot more of his quality, obviously, when he was at Leicester in his prime. But he was amazing to play with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evans lifted three Premier League titles, a Champions League, an FA Cup and two League Cups during his two separate spells with Man Utd.<\/p>\n

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