Reports | Manchester United agree world-record £80 million fee for Leicester City defender Harry Maguire
Manchester United are closing in on a move for Leicester City center-back Harry Maguire for a world-record sum of £80 million. The Red Devils have had a very busy transfer window, having already completed moves for Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, making Maguire, the third new signing.
Nothing went well for Manchester United last season. Jose Mourinho’s final six months at the club ended in a legendary implosion, with him falling out with half the squad. Things became so bad for the club, that the rot from Mourinho’s era eventually affected Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s stint at the club. The honeymoon period, as it is now known, turned out to be the best thing that happened last season for the club. However, like all things good, it eventually flamed out, with Manchester United failing to win a single game out of their final five Premier League games.
This includes a loss to the already relegated Cardiff City and a 4-0 humiliation to Everton, which showcased their defensive issues. It’s one of the many reasons why the club spent so much on Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and now Harry Maguire seems to have joined that group. The Sun has reported that Manchester United have agreed to a world record £80 million fee with Leicester City. It also further adds that the 26-year-old will have his medical very soon, before joining the rest of the team.
The report also reveals that the Red Devils will have to pay £60 million upfront, with adds-on totalling £20 million, which will make Maguire the most expensive defender in history. A rather lofty tag to hold his own to, the Leicester City man will have a tough job next season. However, for Manchester United, this is a move that should give them some defensive reliability.
Not just that, it means that the Red Devils have effectively beaten their rivals Manchester City to the hulky center-back. The Cityzens were heavily linked with a move for the 26-year-old, but pulled out at the start of this month, with the Daily Mail reporting that they were unwilling to pay Leicester City’s asking price.
That has clearly not been Manchester United’s problem and now with the long transfer saga hopefully over, it allows them to complete other moves for other players, with the Mirror reporting that Bruno Fernandes is next on their radar.
