Harry Maguire SLAMMED by Man United icon Jaap Stam

Manchester United legend Jaap Stam has slated Harry Maguire's speed and agility after being asked to compare the England's international's defensive abilities to Wes Brown.

Stam featured 127 times for Manchester United and helped the Red Devils win six trophies, including three Premier League successes and the Champions League title.

He played alongside Brown and said that his former team-mate was better than Maguire defensively as he was able to defend 1v1's over greater distances.

Stam also said that United should look internally at their recruitment system after forking out £80million on a defender that he believes has failed to impress at the club.

Stam was asked for his opinion on the Manchester United captain due to his history at the club. The Dutchman was known for his impeccable defending and helped the Red Devils reach new heights.

As a result, Stam became a fan favourite during the three years he played at Old Trafford - helping the team win the Premier League in each of those campaigns.

He was asked to share his opinion on Maguire - who has been guilty of some error-prone performances this season.

Speaking on The Michael Anthony Show, Stam said: 'It’s a lot of money they paid for him [Maguire]. To be honest when I saw him at Leicester City he was a decent player.'

However, Stam said the likes of Wes Brown - another former Red Devils defender - was a better defender than the current Manchester United captain.

Brown cemented his place in United's history by being a part of Sir Alex Ferguson's treble-winning side in 1999.

He also went on to win four more Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup and another Champions League during his time at Old Trafford.

When asked to compare Brown to Maguire, Stam said Brown was 'quicker and faster' than the current England international.

Stam also said that Brown was more efficient when it came to defending 1v1 over longer distances.

Stam explained: 'I think Wes Brown was quicker and faster than him. He was more mobile too in 1v1’s in big spaces. When you play for United you need to be able to defend 1v1s in big spaces.

'I do think it is important to have good players around him [Maguire]. When he has good players around him to support him that helps. When I had good players around me, I could perform a little bit better too.

'I’ve seen Maguire play good football too but I think sometimes he wants to do more than what has been asked of him.

'Sometimes he needs to play a little bit more simple. In his way of thinking as well. I really think that the players in front of him can help him out.

'They can help him play out. Then the partnership with Varane should help him. I think it’s good that he can step in as well.'

Stam also shared his thoughts on Maguire's current price tag and the amount Manchester United paid to acquire his services in 2019.

The England international signed for the club in a record-breaking £80million deal as he signed a deal worth £200,000-a-week for six years.

However, some United fans have since questioned the logic behind paying so much for a player that has failed to consistently impress.

Stam - who, in his time, became the most expensive defender in history after signing for United in a deal worth £10.6m in 1998 - was asked to weigh in.

He said: 'If nobody is happy with Harry and how he is playing and performing, they should look at the recruitment system.

'Look at who made the decision to bring him in and how decided to pay that much for a player we really don’t fancy or a player we really don’t like.'

Stam also shared his thoughts on United as a whole - claiming the current squad lack 'aggression' and 'resilience'.

He explained: 'I follow them. I try to watch all of the games and see how they are doing and how they are performing.

'I also try to keep track of all the results. As I went into management, I look at United in how they are playing, the players they are bringing in and the philosophy of playing and the style of play.

'I also look a whether they are they dominant, whether they are keeping possession of the ball, whether they are playing forwards quickly and whether they pressing high up the pitch, being very aggressive and very resilient.

'But when you look at this United team you don’t always see that. That’s hard to understand. It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world. Everyone should be proud they are a player that gets the opportunity to play for them.'