Manchester United defender Harry Maguire is reportedly set to feature on The Rest is Football podcast during the World Cup after being omitted from Thomas Tuchel's England squad. The 33-year-old was controversially left out of the 26-man roster heading to the United States, but he will still be involved in the tournament in a media capacity.
Unexpected World Cup Role
According to The Athletic, Maguire is anticipated to be among several guests appearing on the popular football podcast. Earlier this year, it was announced that Goalhanger, the production company behind the show, secured a £14 million agreement with Netflix to broadcast daily episodes during the World Cup. A total of 40 episodes have been scheduled, with host Gary Lineker and regular co-presenter Alan Shearer broadcasting from a studio overlooking New York's Times Square. Regular third host Micah Richards will appear in person for some episodes but will mostly join from BBC's virtual studio in Salford.
Snub Fallout
Maguire's exclusion came despite an outstanding campaign at Old Trafford. Tuchel opted to select Dan Burn, Jarrel Quansah, and Djed Spence instead, also omitting Luke Shaw. A public exchange between Tuchel and Maguire followed, with Maguire expressing shock at the decision, while Tuchel admitted he was surprised by Maguire's reaction.
The World Cup begins in just over a week, with co-host nation Mexico facing South Africa. England's final warm-up match takes place 24 hours before the tournament starts, as the Three Lions meet Costa Rica in Orlando.
Manchester United Transfer News
While attention turns to the World Cup, United have completed their first summer signing, with Ederson arriving from Atalanta in a £38.8 million deal. The 26-year-old's omission from Brazil's squad allowed negotiations to be finalised swiftly, as the Italian side was willing to sell with only 12 months left on his contract.
Additional midfield reinforcements are expected following Casemiro's departure, with Elliot Anderson, Mateus Fernandes, Adam Wharton, and Aurelien Tchouameni among those under consideration. United are also targeting a left-back, with Newcastle's Lewis Hall emerging as the primary target, while Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly and West Ham's El Hadji Malick Diouf have also been linked.
Sanctioning departures remains a priority, with Marcus Rashford, Joshua Zirkzee, and Manuel Ugarte expected to leave permanently, while Jadon Sancho's contract is set to expire.
