Manchester United willing to make Harry Maguire world’s most expensive defender at £80m

Manchester United are willing to pay up to £80m for Leicester centre-back Harry Maguire, Sky sources understand.

That figure would eclipse the current world record for a defender, which was set when Liverpool paid Southampton £75m for Virgil van Dijk in January 2018.

• Done deals – summer 2019
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Maguire has four years left on his contract and Leicester’s position all summer has been that he is not for sale.

The 26-year-old remains Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s No 1 target at Old Trafford and has told Leicester he wants to leave before the transfer window shuts on August 8.

United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward decided not to travel out to the club’s pre-season tour to Australia and the Far East earlier this month to work on negotiations for incoming transfers.

The club have signed just two players so far this summer – Aaron Wan-Bissaka who joined from Crystal Palace, and Daniel James who moved from Swansea.

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(c) Sky News 2019: Manchester United willing to make Harry Maguire world’s most expensive defender at £80m