Harry Maguire has become the world’s most expensive defender after Manchester United agreed an £80million deal with Leicester .
United and Leicester finally agreed on a fee after weeks of negotiations, with the England international to undergo a medical in Manchester today before the deal is concluded.
The deal for Maguire eclipses the fee of £75m – then a world record for a defender – that Liverpool paid Southampton for Virgil van Dijk in January 2018.
Maguire will sign a five-year contract, with the option of a further 12 months, while the 26-year-old will see his wages more than double to £150,000-a-week with the switch to Old Trafford.
He had already pulled out of Leicester’s final pre-season friendly against Atalanta on Friday, because he was not in the right frame of mind to play, while his future remained unresolved.
United valued Maguire at £70m, while Leicester were holding out for £90m for their prized asset, with the two clubs eventually meeting in the middle on a compromise fee, which is understood to contain no add-ons.
Reds boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was determined to land Maguire to form part of his first-choice central defensive pairing, along with Victor Lindelof, with new signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka at right-back and Luke Shaw at left-back.
Solskjaer made Maguire a priority signing for his central defence because of his leadership qualities and ability on the ball, with the United boss adamant his side will play that way next season, out from the back.
