Carrick confirms Man Utd’s Maguire and Mainoo plan

Robin Bairner

Updated: 21 Mar 2026 08:23 GMT
4 min read

Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Maguire, Man Utd, 2025/26 — © IMAGO

Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick has confirmed that the club is in advanced discussions with Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire over new contracts.

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The Red Devils are on course to qualify for the Champions League next season, despite a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth in the Premier League on Friday, and Carrick admits moves are afoot to retain key members of the squad.

While Carrick’s long-term future at the club remains uncertain, the Red Devils are working on tying down Mainoo and Maguire, who have been two mainstays of the team that he has led on the road to recovery.

Compared

Kobbie Mainoo

M, DM (C)

Man Utd

Kobbie Mainoo

M, DM (C)

Man Utd

VS

Harry Maguire

D (C)

Man Utd

Harry Maguire

D (C)

Man Utd

€58.6M	ETV	€12M
€52.7M - €64.4M	ETV Range	€10.8M - €13.2M
20 years old (19 Apr, 2005)	Age	33 years old (05 Mar, 1993)
England	Nationality	England

Mainoo, Maguire contract talks confirmed

Reports broke on Friday that Man Utd are in advanced talks over new contracts for Mainoo and Maguire, and the interim boss has confirmed these.

Carrick explained: “Contract negotiations with players are always ongoing, so you hope whatever it is gets done in the right way. Both have been great, and being back in the England squad is what they deserve. I'm not getting involved on how close things are, but they've both done great.”

Harry Maguire: A key figure behind the scenes

Maguire, whose current deal is up at the end of the season, is valued by Man Utd because of the experience he can bring to the side but there were serious doubts over whether he would remain at the club after turning 33 on 5 March.

Even if he is no longer regarded as an elite centre-back, he provides both excellent support to the first team when there are injuries – as is the case at Old Trafford currently – while his leadership and behaviour in the dressing room is also seen as a key factor to retain him.

Mainoo back in the fold

Retaining Mainoo, meanwhile, was a more clear-cut decision, particularly after the announcement that Casemiro will leave the club in the summer when his contract ends.

The England midfielder has been brought back in from the cold after being frozen out by Ruben Amorim and is still regarded as one of United’s greatest midfield prospects.

“I’m really impressed with him,” Carrick said of Mainoo before the Bournemouth clash. “I think not having a lot of football for a period of time to come in and play a run of games and find your rhythm... I think he did that really quickly.

“There’s a natural kind of a flow, really, and I thought he was really good again against Aston Villa, putting in a performance where he did a little bit of everything, controlled the game as well as defended when he had to defend.”

With Champions League football likely on its way back to Man Utd next season, the depth of the squad needs to be increased. The aim at Old Trafford, then, is to retain as much quality as possible.

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