Man Utd heeding Sir Alex Ferguson's Harry Maguire advice with Barcelona transfer response

They say having the backing of your teammates is the most important thing as a football player.

While it's not certain that Harry Maguire has that right now at Manchester United, he's got just about the next best thing: Sir Alex Ferguson's. During a season that was described as a "nightmare" by the club's own chief executive, Maguire embarked on his biggest battle since becoming captain two-and-a-half years ago, as dressing room harmony eroded away and quickly became a "disaster."

While his leadership was coming under scrutiny from within the camp, so was his form, as the 29-year-old endured what many would label the worst campaign of his 11-year professional career. Despite the events of the past term, new manager Erik ten Hag is excited to work with him and the Red Devils have even rejected a stunning proposal from none other than European heavyweights Barcelona, who'd offered take him off their hands during the tedious transfer negotiations to send Frenkie de Jong the other way.

United - like Maguire - are in post-season recovery mode after tallying their worst-ever points return in the Premier League era and seem keen to usher in a mass exodus this summer. However, an exit for Maguire is clearly off the table, hinting at how Ferguson's verdict is still held in high regard by the Old Trafford hierarchy.

It was right back at the start of the burly defender's days as a senior pro, 11 years ago, when Ferguson first became acquainted with him. During the second leg of the Red Devils' FA Youth Cup final clash with Maguire's Sheffield United, the teenage centre-back suffered a concussion which kept him in hospital overnight, as United's youth stars - including Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard - celebrated their epic 6-3