Manchester City could be forced to make Harry Maguire the most expensive defender in the world football after lining up a summer move for the Leicester star.
Virgil van Dijk currently holds the record as football’s most costly defender, after Liverpool paid Southampton £75 million for the Dutch centre back in January 2018.
City are expected to bolster their back line before the start of next season, while Nicolas Otamendi is likely to leave the Etihad Stadium.
A replacement who was schooled and trained in England would be ideal for City as it would boost their homegrown quota.
According to The Sun, City are poised to swoop for 26-year-old Maguire but Leicester are reluctant to sell and might demand as much as £90m.
Leicester only paid Hull £17m when they plucked Maguire from the KCOM Stadium two years ago, but his value has rocketed after a fine World Cup campaign with England and many fine displays in the Premier League. It is suggested City see Burnley defender James Tarkowski as a back-up option if their pursuit of Maguire fails.
Meanwhile, Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku look set to lead a summer exodus from Manchester United. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could be set to bank £200million if United allow the pair to leave and begin a squad overhaul.
The club hierarchy is believed to be increasingly resigned to cashing in on Pogba and will not stand in Lukaku’s way if offers come in. Mino Raiola is confident his client, Pogba, is heading to Real Madrid and has scrapped talks over a new contract for the Frenchman, according to The Mirror. While they will not block any move for Lukaku if Juventus or Inter Milan come calling, the report adds.
United are said to be holding out for around £120m for Pogba, who has been made a priority signing by Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid. Solskjaer insisted he was confident of keeping the French international at the club
“You can’t guarantee anything in football but, yes, I think Paul’s going to be here, he’s very determined to succeed at Manchester United.
“He’s done fantastic for us, he’s a human being as well and we’re all the same - we want him to do well, and he’s a leader in that dressing room and on the pitch for us.
“But back to if I can guarantee - I would say yes, I can guarantee [he’ll stay], but in life, you can never say never, but he will be here as far as I’m concerned.”
