Harry Maguire sends Gareth Southgate message over Man Utd links

Harry Maguire has urged England manager Gareth Southgate to sign an extension with the Three Lions amid reports of interest in his services from Manchester United.

It was reported earlier this week that new United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has settled on Southgate as his preferred replacement for current boss Erik ten Hag this summer, with Southgate's contract up at the end of 2024.

A switch to United would give Southgate the chance to link up with Maguire, a long-term favourite of his at international level, but the centre-back hopes to see the former Middlesbrough and Aston Villa defender remain in his current post.

Asked whether the England squad hope to keep working with Southgate, Maguire responded: «Yes, definitely.

»I've had a great relationship with him. I've been a big part of the success and the progression we've shown as a country. I'm sure he will say the same thing now, it's all about winning a trophy. I don't know what's going to happen after the Euros, I don't know if he knows what's going to happen.

«But I feel like what he's done, from when he first took over to where we are now, we've taken huge strides and he's a massive part of that. If Gareth's the man to make us be successful, then we want him to stay as long as possible.»

Southgate recently reiterated his desire to postpone talks over his future until after Euro 2024.

«I think we would have to sit and think about that at the end of the tournament,» he said. «I'm happy to talk about it briefly now, but I'm not going to talk about for the whole summer.

»We've consciously shelved any discussions internally about what might be next, because I think if we had sat and signed a new contract and done that before the tournament, everybody would have said: 'Well,