Manchester City are reportedly set to beat Manchester United to the signing of Leicester City and England defender Harry Maguire in a £80 million deal.
According to a report from the Mirror, Manchester United are set to taste defeat in their pursuit of Leicester City star Harry Maguire, as he is closing in on a summer transfer to Premier League champions Manchester City in a world record £80 million deal.
In the last two years, Maguire has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, impressing everyone with his displays for Leicester City and the England national team. This has seen the 26-year-old garner a lot of interest, most notably from Manchester United.
The 20-time English champions had been interested in signing Maguire last summer as well, but a move had failed to materialise. However, ollowing a forgetful 2018-19 season, that saw the defence struggle, Manchester United are eyeing more defensive reinforcements and have rekindled their interest in Maguire.
Manchester United were initially baulking at the transfer fee demand made by Leicester City, although according to recent reports they were willing to change their stance and shell out £80 million in order to sign Maguire. Their attempts to sign the 26-year-old though, are set to prove futile as cross-town rivals Manchester City are poised to beat them to his signing.
Manchester City are also in the market for a new centre-back after former captain and legend Vincent Kompany left the club to rejoin RSC Anderlecht. And Pep Guardiola has his sights set firmly on the 26-year-old Maguire, who he sees as the perfect replacement for the departed Kompany.
To that end, Manchester City have put forth an offer of £80 million to Leicester City, which would make Maguire the most expensive defender in the world, with the fee surpassing the £75 million fee Liverpool had paid Southampton for Virgil van Dijk in January last year.
The report further adds that the Premier League champions have offered Maguire a mouth-watering £280,000-a-week contract, that has blown Manchester United out of contention to sign the centre-back. The England international believes that moving to City would be ideal for his career as he would be playing Champions League football and challenging for trophies regularly.
Leicester City were reluctant to sell their star defender, but the player’s wish for a move away and the huge offer on the table from Manchester City will force their hands into cashing in on Maguire this summer.
It only seems a matter of time before the 26-year-old becomes a Manchester City player if the report from Mirror is to go by. As far as Manchester United are concerned, they will have to turn their attention elsewhere to address their centre-back issues, with West Ham United’s Issa Diop emerging as a target.
