Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has described early contract talks with the club as "really positive" as he approaches the final six months of his current deal.

Maguire still has the initial six-year contract he signed when he signed a record £80m move to Old Trafford from Leicester City in the summer of 2019. Those terms are set to expire at the end of this season, although the club also have a 12-month option to extend until 2026.

"I didn't really think about it," Maguire he told reporters after United emerged victorious from a dramatic derby in Manchester on Sunday.

"I still have time for this year with an option in (the club's) hands. But all the signs are positive right now and the conversation I'm having is really positive."

Maguire's role in United the team has changed significantly since his arrival five and a half years ago. The England centre-back was brought in as the world's most expensive defender, a transfer record that has yet to be broken, and was immediately named club captain.

A loss of form, followed by frustrating injuries, saw his playing time reduced under former manager Erik ten Haag, before the captaincy was transferred permanently to Bruno Fernandes.

Maguire has largely put his fitness issues behind him, but was forced to miss several games as recently as September, October and November, having also been ruled out for parts of last season and deemed not fit enough to go to Euro 2024 with English.

But Maguire clearly has a role under new head coach Ruben Amorim, appearing in every Premier League game since returning to fitness last month. This included trusting his experience Sunday's winning Manchester derby in front of the teenage talent Leny Yoro.

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