A transfer between Manchester United and Leicester City seems destined to happen before the August 8 closing of this summer’s window.
United fans thought a deal for Maguire would be sorted last weekend after a report from the well-sourced Dean Jones, but nothing official has been announced.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks keen to get Maguire in after overseeing the second half of a league campaign that saw United concede more goals in three decades. Maguire was valued at £70 million after the 2018 World Cup and it is more United’s defensive frailties and need for a new leader in the back, than a sharp rise in Maguire’s performances, that now see Leicester demanding £80m for him.
Maguire has continued to line out in pre-season games for City and Brendan Rodgers, his boss, says the club don’t need to sell the England international and are “relaxed” about the situation. They do not want to lose Maguire, especially as City improved under Rodgers near the end of last season, but they hold most of the cards in this situation.
Fabrizio Romano, who works with Sky Sport (Italy) and Di Marzo, claims United made contact with Leicester again on Monday night, and that the player is keen to move.
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Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock has told BBC’s 5 Live Sport that Maguire should be a United player by the start of the new league season and that he may have already been promised the club captaincy.
United said goodbye to club captain Antonio Valencia over the summer, as well as Ander Herrera who also donned the armband in the past. Paul Pogba could be in line for the role but doubts remain over his future after he expressed, on a promotional trip to China, that he was seeking a new challenge. David De Gea is the other outstanding candidate, along with Nemanja Matic.
For Warnock, making Maguire captain may be enough of a cherry to expedite his move. He commented:
“He will be captain. If he goes in, he’ll probably get the armband as well.
“He is probably seen within that role and he may have already been told that, and he’ll want that move to happen.”
🗣️ Stephen Warnock believes Harry Maguire will join #MUFC before the transfer window shuts and will take the captain's armband.
Listen to Football Daily with @Steve_Crossman, @Robert1Green, @StephenWarnock3 & @Osman21Leon 👇
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— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) July 30, 2019
During the show’s discussion on Maguire, Warnock, Leon Osman and Rob Green all stated their belief that the 26-year-old would be heading to Old Trafford imminently.
