Manchester United set to make Harry Maguire world’s most expensive defender
The England international will cost £80million.
Manchester United have reached an agreement with Leicester to sign England defender Harry Maguire for £80million, PA understands.
The deal for the 26-year-old is now subject to a medical.
Maguire was strongly linked with both Manchester clubs over the summer but Leicester held out for their valuation and will receive a world record fee for a defender, eclipsing the £75million Liverpool paid Southampton for Virgil Van Dijk in January 2018.
The deal comes after Maguire was left out of the Leicester squad for their friendly against Serie A club Atalanta at the King Power Stadium on Friday night.
United had made strengthening the centre of their defence a priority at the start of the summer, with the need only becoming more acute when Eric Bailly suffered a knee injury during their pre-season tour of China which is expected to keep him out for at least four months.
The deal represents a tidy profit for Leicester, who signed Maguire for an initial £12million – potentially rising to £17million with add-ons – from Hull in the summer of 2017.
The Foxes were in a strong negotiating position after the Sheffield-born player signed a new five-year deal in September.
Maguire began his career with Sheffield United before stepping up to the Premier League with Hull in 2014.
Shortly after joining Leicester he received his first senior England call-up and has since won 20 caps, playing a starring role as Gareth Southgate’s side reached the semi-finals of last year’s World Cup, scoring his first international goal in a 2-0 win over Sweden in the quarter-finals.
