Manchester United agree £85m deal with Leicester for Harry Maguire

Manchester United FINALLY agree £85m deal with Leicester for Harry Maguire as he becomes the most-expensive defender of all-time – eclipsing Liverpool’s £75m Virgil van Dijk fee – after weeks of talks

Man United have finally agreed an £85m deal with Leicester for Harry Maguire
The deal sees Maguire become the world’s most expensive defender of all-time
United will pay Leicester £80m of the fee up front and a further £5m in add-ons
Maguire is expected to undergo a medical ahead of move to United on Saturday

By Chris Wheeler for MailOnline

Published: 15:20 BST, 2 August 2019 | Updated: 17:08 BST, 2 August 2019

Manchester United have agreed a fee of £85million with Leicester City to make Harry Maguire the world’s most expensive defender.

The figure, which includes add-ons, was finally reached following weeks of negotiations between the two clubs.

Sportsmail understands that United will pay £80m up front and a further £5m in add-ons.

Manchester United have agreed to pay a record Leicester £85million for defender Harry Maguire (pictured mocked-up in the shirt he will wear at Old Trafford this season)

Maguire made it clear he wanted to leave and will have his United medical on Saturday

The deal eclipses the £75m that Liverpool paid Southampton to sign Virgil van Dijk in January 2018. Maguire is expected to undergo his medical on Saturday while United play AC Milan in Cardiff.

The 26-year-old had already pulled out of Leicester’s final pre-season friendly against Atalanta on Friday because he is not in the right frame of mind to play, having called in sick on Monday.

Maguire had made it clear to his manager Brendan Rodgers and team-mates that he wants to go this summer after Leicester rebuffed United’s interest 12 months ago.

The fee eclipses the previous world record £75m Liverpool splashed to sign Virgil van Dijk

MOST EXPENSIVE DEFENDERS

1. Harry Maguire – £85m (From Leicester to Man United)

2. Virgil van Dijk – £75m (From Southampton to Liverpool)

3. Lucas Hernandez – £68m (From Atletico Madrid to Bayern Munich)

4. Matthijs de Ligt – £63m (From Ajax to Juventus)

5. Aymeric Laporte – £57m (From Athletic Bilbao to Man City)

6. Kyle Walker – £54m (From Tottenham to Man City)

7. Benjamin Mendy – £52m (From Monaco to Man City)

8. David Luiz – £50m (From Chelsea to Paris Saint-Germain)

9. John Stones – £50m (From Everton to Man City)

10. Davinson Sanchez – £42m (From Ajax to Tottenham)

United had wanted to sign Maguire 12 months ago after a stunning World Cup with England

He did not feature in an official club video released on Thursday to announce the club’s squad numbers for the new season.

It only fuelled speculation that Leicester were preparing to sell Maguire as they line up a replacement with James Tarkowski of Burnley and Watford’s Christian Kabasele possibilities.

Sportsmail understands Tarkowski is Leicester’s preferred option and looks likely to join from Burnley.

United wanted a deal done by Monday or else they will not have enough time to sign an alternative target before next week’s transfer deadline on August 8.

MAGUIRE TO UNITED TIMELINE

JULY 2018: Manchester United express interest in Harry Maguire after his impressive World Cup campaign in Russia with England.

JULY 2018: Leicester rebuff United’s attempts to sign Maguire and open up contract talks with the defender to ward off interest.

JULY 2018: The then Leicester chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha shakes hands with Maguire to allow him to leave the club the following summer should a big club come in for him.

SEPTEMBER 2018: Maguire puts pen-to-paper on a new five-year contract, worth £85,000-a-week.

JUNE 2019: United’s arch-rivals City enter the race to sign Maguire.

JUNE 2019: Reports suggest Maguire would prefer to join Premier League champions City over United.

JULY 2019: Leicester reject £70m bid from United for Maguire and ask for world-record fee.

JULY 2019: United consider other transfer options, including Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly

JULY 2019: City drop out of race after refusing to meet Leicester’s demands.

JULY 2019: Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers warns United he is under no pressure to sell Maguire and confirms club rejected two bids from his suitors.

AUGUST 2019: Maguire is left out of Leicester squad for their final pre-season friendly after calling in sick for training and holding talks with manager Brendan Rodgers because he is not in the right frame of mind.

AUGUST 2019: United agree world-record £85m fee with Leicester for Maguire.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be delighted they got a deal done and didn’t have to look elsewhere

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