Harry Maguire’s tenure at Manchester United has been marred by harsh criticism, which typically comes with a price tag of £80 million.

The transfer from Leicester City to the Red Devils in 2019 makes the United number five the most expensive defender in history.

During his first season, he started every Premier League game and was a rock in the back, maintaining 13 league clean sheets.

But since then, Erik ten Hag has stripped him of his captaincy and he has made only 20 league starts under the Dutch manager.

This season, the 30-year-old sustained an injury in December after a strong run of performances, causing him to miss six games. However, it did provide an opportunity for a rising talent to shine.

Willy Kambwala’s 2023-24 season

Willy Kambwala, 19, has been called upon by the management this season to help ease the Red Devils’ centre-back injury difficulties.

This was especially apparent at the end of December, when the Frenchman made his Premier League debut against West Ham United, losing 2-0.

Kambwala thrived on the ball, demonstrating technical proficiency with 90% pass accuracy and 90 touches. However, the youth struggled with the pace of the game from an out-of-possession standpoint, losing all of his duels, whereas the next prospective Maguire successor has now fully transitioned to the men’s game.

Will Fish’s season thus far

Will Fish has matured into a promising young centre-back with the potential to be a good player for his parent club, United, over the last 18 months.

The 21-year-old centre-half is currently in his second year on loan at Hibernian in Scotland, where he has established himself as an important member of the squad.

This season, he has started all 25 games for the team, impressing with his maturity and ability to play with “no fear,” according to former Hibbs coach Lee Johnson.

Johnson continued to praise Fish, saying, “If you wanted to build a centre-half, I’m telling you, Will Fish is what you’d build – he’s quick, strong, and good on the ball.”

The England rock’s performance against Aberdeen earlier this season demonstrated why he has the potential to be an invaluable addition to the United squad when he returns to Old Trafford.

One of Maguire’s greatest assets is his dominance in the air, which has landed him in the top 12% of Premier League aerials won this season, but Fish would be able to replicate that, as evidenced by his 8/9 aerial duels won.

Fish is also a menace in the opposition penalty box, and his 6-foot-1 frame allows him to be on the end of set pieces, as evidenced by his five goals in 56 appearances for Scotland.

Overall, it’s evident that both Fish and Kambwala have a lot of potential, and considering the former’s development, particularly this season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him routinely participate in the first-team squad at the end of his loan, potentially replacing Maguire.