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'I screw up, but I earn so much': Great's savage dig at United's Maguire

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·2-min read
Rafael van der Vaart (pictured right) during commentary and Manchester United's Harry Maguire (pictured left) during training.
Rafael van der Vaart (pictured right) has taken aim at Manchester United's Harry Maguire (pictured left) for a recent performance. (Getty Images)

Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspurs great Rafael Van der Vaart has taken aim at Harry Maguire once again for his recent performance against Bournemouth.

Maguire was at fault for one of the goals United conceded when he was nutmegged in the lead up to Bournemouth's opening goal in the Premier League clash last Saturday.

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Maguire was left standing by Junior Stanislas, who then slammed the Cherries into a surprise lead at Old Trafford - although the home side came back to comfortably win 5-2 and keep up their challenge for the Champions League places.

The world record signing for a centre-back, £80 million ($100m), has come under fire from the Dutch legend before, but this time his words were scathing.

Speaking on Dutch TV station Ziggo, Van der Vaart said: "I think Maguire goes home every day and tells his wife: ‘I screw up, but I earn so much. They really believe I’m good.’ I really think so, he laughs at everyone."

Van der Vaat’s previous swipe at Maguire

It is not the first time van der Vaart has criticised Maguire on the same channel this season, saying his performance in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool last October was not worthy of a professional footballer.

He said: "If he is worth so much money, Virgil van Dijk is worth £300m. If I am going to play with the amateurs on Sunday afternoon, I can easily find three who can do this (what Maguire does on the pitch). I mean that seriously. A bit silly to say, but I really think so."

Van der Vaart went on to suggest that United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should sign Bournemouth centre-back Nathan Ake as a replacement for Maguire.

Television cameras captured the United manager having a conversation with the Bournemouth defender at the final whistle, with some claiming he had said to the Dutchman that he needed a left-footed central defender.

Van der Vaart said: "That is nice if there is no crowd and no music after the game. Then you hear things like this. A transfer? I hope for him, I think he’s doing very well. Why not?"

However, Solskjaer subsequently dismissed the amateur lip-readers and said he has no intention of signing any more defenders this summer.

"I’ve got seven centre-backs, so I don’t know where that comes from. We’re fine," he said.