• Maguire is looking to secure a £75million summer move to Manchester United.
• Manchester City are interested in Maguire but United are more likely to sign him.
Image: /REUTERS
Harry Maguire has pushed a £75million move to Manchester United closer by telling Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers and team-mates that he wants to leave.
Maguire, 26, informed Rodgers and the rest of the Foxes squad of his intentions during their pre-season training camp in France, hoping it will ease negotiations between the two clubs.
Twelve months ago, the England defender failed to secure a move to Old Trafford despite heavy interest from their manager Jose Mourinho and he has decided to be more proactive on this occasion to avoid a repeat. Manchester City also remain contenders for Maguire’s signature but appear less likely to match Leicester’s valuation which would equal the world-record fee paid for a defender when Liverpool signed Virgil van Dijk.
Maguire, part of a 31-man Leicester party who trained last week in Evian by Lake Geneva, is understood to be happy at the prospect of joining United despite the club failing to qualify for the Champions League.
He believes after two successful seasons at Leicester, in which he became a World Cup hero with England, it is the right time to further his career.
Leicester were reluctant to sell unless it became clear Maguire wanted out and now that has been done, it is believed they will not stand in his way. Rodgers would be given funds to sign a replacement and James Tarkowski and Lewis Dunk have been linked.
But the Foxes boss is already well served in central defence with Jonny Evans, his former Celtic loanee Filip Benkovic, £20million Turkish prospect Caglar Soyuncu and club captain Wes Morgan, so could use the Maguire cash to strengthen other positions.
United, currently on tour in Australia, want to make at least two more signings to add to £50m defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Welsh flyer Daniel James. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s priority is a combative midfielder, with Sporting Lisbon’s Bruno Fernandes and Sean Longstaff from Newcastle among his targets.
United baulked at Leicester’s £75m asking price for Maguire after the World Cup but after a dismal season finishing sixth in the Premier League, there is an acceptance they have to rebuild the squad and sign players in their early or mid-twenties who can give years of service.