Pundit predicts Southgate headache over Maguire if Man Utd boss Ten Hag says ‘he’s not for me’

Gareth Southgate could have selection headache at the World Cup if new Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag moves on from Harry Maguire, according to one pundit.

Maguire endured a difficult season at Old Trafford, struggling to form a partnership with summer signing Raphael Varane and failing to build on an encouraging season the year before.

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United could only secure a sixth placed finish in the Premier League this year and there has been talk that Maguire could have the captaincy stripped from him by Ten Hag.

Not only that, but there has been talks that Ten Hag might not find a place for Maguire in his starting XI, with a number of central defenders already being linked to the club.

And Tony Cascarino has now admitted that could gibe England boss Southgate a major headache ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year.

Speaking on talkSPORT, former Chelsea man Cascarino said: “I think his career’s going to change slightly in the next year because with Erik Ten Hag coming in at Man United, what does he think of Harry Maguire?

“You might have a scenario where he plays really well for England, gets to the start of the season and then doesn’t play under Ten Hag for Man United.

“What does Gareth Southgate do then? That’s a possible scenario.

“It’s not unlikely because there’s going to be a lot of scapegoats after what’s happened at United over the last year.

“Last season was dreadful and there’ll be scapegoats and Harry Maguire might be one of them.

“Ten Hag might go down the road of saying ‘he’s not for me’. That happens sometimes in club football.

“He might be second fiddle or on the bench and then Gareth might not have one of his leading men, even though he’s not let him down.

“Is Gareth brave enough to select a player who is not in his club side, if that was the scenario, and then select him for the World Cup?

“There are a number of England players who have played better for England than they have for their club.

“Harry’s had a really difficult season. They could never find a partner for him. Raphael Varane came into the club, it didn’t work with Victor Lindelof, and he even ended the season playing with Phil Jones.

“It’s been a tricky one, but there have been a lot of issues at Old Trafford.”