Rojo says Solskjær started Maguire due to record transfer

Former Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo has made interesting claims about his final years with the club. The Argentine center-back now says that former United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær played Harry Maguire solely because of his high price tag.

The England international arrived in Manchester from Leicester City in 2019 in a deal worth around $95 million. Nearly four years later, the purchase is still a record fee for a center-back. Despite the massive price tag, Maguire hasn’t exactly been a success with the club.

Solskjær told Rojo that Maguire had to start despite form

“One day I went to [Solskjær’s] office to tell him to let me leave or put me in [the starting XI],” Rojo said. “He knew that it was wrong that I wasn’t playing all the time. He told me that they had paid so much for [Maguire] that he had to play no matter what. And I would tell him, ‘Let me play because this guy is making huge mistakes every Sunday.'”

Despite starting in the first four 2019/20 Europa League group stage matches, Rojo rarely featured in the Premier League during this timeframe. In fact, he was even left out of the matchday squad entirely at times. The South American defender managed just one start and three total appearances in the top flight during that particular season.

Rojo departed United for home country

Rojo eventually ended up going on loan to Argentine side Estudiantes five months after Maguire entered the fray. After a short-term loan, Rojo departed United on a free transfer to Boca Juniors in January 2021.

Maguire has dropped down the pecking order under United’s current boss Erik ten Hag. However, after injuries to the aforementioned Martinez and Raphael Varane, the Englishman has once again been inserted back into the starting lineup at United.

PHOTO: IMAGO / Sportimage