Ten Hag has spent £100m trying to replace Maguire… but stats prove England ace is easily Man Utd’s best centre-back

ERIK TEN HAG has forked retired £100m connected trying to regenerate Harry Maguire - but the stats beryllium he's Manchester United's champion centre-back.

Ten Hag ensured helium was reunited with his ex-Ajax defenders arsenic United chiefs paid £56.7m for Lisandro Martinez successful 2022 and splashed retired £42.7m connected Matthijs de Ligt this summer.

But the information SunSport has gathered shows that Maguire is really the astir in-form centre-half astatine Old Trafford.

After a coagulated debut play successful Manchester, Maguire soon faced the wrath of fans, became a mock people for rivals and a brushed interaction for the experts aft immoderate questionable performances.

The information that the England ace - who arrived from Leicester for £80m - was automatically handed the nine captaincy by Ole Gunnar Solkajaer didn't assistance his case.

And helium was soon stripped of the armband by Ten Hag successful June 2023, and replaced by Bruno Fernandes, aft falling down the first-choice pairing of Martinez and Raphael Varane.

United adjacent agreed to merchantability Maguire to West Ham past summertime - but the erstwhile Sheffield United defender vowed to combat for his place.

And he's done conscionable that. By proving that he's arguably the champion centre-back astatine Ten Hag's disposal this season.

In fact, Maguire has beaten Martinez and De Ligt successful 9 retired of 13 stat categories recorded successful each competitions truthful acold this term.

Maguire has won the astir duels with 5.3 per 90 minutes, compared to Martinez's 2.9 and De Ligt's 4.8.

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The England prima besides came retired connected apical successful interceptions won, possession won, and palmy completed passes (61.81) per 90.

And he's level with De Ligt successful presumption of goals scored (one) and full shots, contempt starting 4 matches successful each competitions this term.

Martinez comes retired connected apical lone successful tackles made and won - which is synonymous with his "Butcher" reputation.

The Argentine enjoyed an awesome debut play successful 2022-23 but his signifier importantly dropped aft recovering from country connected his metatarsal bony past summer.

Both Maguire and Martinez were in-and-out of the matchday squad past term, arsenic United recorded an unprecedented fig of antiaircraft injuries and recorded a antagonistic extremity quality for the archetypal clip successful Prem history.

Maguire started the archetypal 2 Prem games this season, but was dropped for a mistake during Danny Welbeck's opener successful their 2-1 decision astatine Brighton.

New signing De Ligt was brought successful to commencement alternatively but has come nether aggravated scrutiny for his ain performances.

Particularly successful United's 3-0 location decision to Spurs and the 3-3 Porto crippled wherever the Red Devils again mislaid a 2-0 lead.

Club fable Paul Scholes has often said: "I'm not convinced De Ligt is amended than Maguire."

Maguire was brought connected successful the last 10 minutes successful the Europa League successful Portugal erstwhile United trailed 3-2 - earlier his headed victor saved Ten Hag's job astatine the death.

The 31-year-old and Jonny Evans were past trusted to commencement against Aston Villa, replacing De Ligt and Martinez - who galore assumed would beryllium the first-choice pairing going forward.

But Maguire faced yet different setback aft suffering a caller calf wounded and near Villa Park successful a protective boot, aft helium was replaced by De Ligt astatine half-time.

People scoffed astatine Maguire starting against Unai Emery's broadside but Ten Hag volition spot his impermanent nonaccomplishment arsenic a large one.