EXCLUSIVE: Leicester set Maguire price as £40m successor is sought
Leicester City have told Harry Maguire they won’t stand in his way this summer if an interested club meets their valuation – and the Foxes already know their No 1 target to replace him, we can reveal.
And the news that Leicester are willing to cash in on the England defender will put Manchester United and Manchester City on high alert.
Maguire has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for quite some time, as the Red Devils have been looking to bolster their defensive options. He was named just last week by Teddy Sheringham as the one player United need to break the bank to sign.
He is also wanted by City as they target a top-quality successor to Vincent Kompany, who last month confirmed he was leaving the club after 11 glorious years.
The Foxes – while not actively looking to sell Maguire, with the club having offered him a big pay rise to stay – have told the player they will not stand in his way if anyone meets their £85million asking price this summer.
Privately, Leicester are expecting the defender to leave, with City looking his most likely destination.
And we can reveal that the Foxes will break their own transfer record to replace the England man – with Brighton’s Lewis Dunk right at the top of their shopping list.
Manager Brendan Rodgers, who also wants in-demand full-back Ben Chilwell to stay, has been assured that any money made this summer from sales will be reinvested in the squad.
As such, the Foxes boss has drawn up a big list of targets, with Dunk – who has one senior England cap to his name – very much on that list. Brighton, however, would not give up on Dunk without a fight and Leicester can expect to pay around £40m for the 27-year-old. That fee would shatter their current transfer record of £28million, which they paid for Algerian flop Islam Slimani back in summer 2016.
Along with Dunk, we can also reveal Leicester are also believed to be targeting free agent Daniel Sturridge, Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney – who will be targeted if Chilwell leaves – and Rangers duo James Tavernier and Alfredo Morelos.
None of those players would come cheap, but the sale of Maguire would give Leicester some serious funds to strengthen their squad this summer.
Maguire was recently quizzed on his future and the defender insisted he was only focused on England’s upcoming Nations League clashes.
“At the moment, nothing’s going through my head in terms of club football. I’m fully focused on the games coming up.”
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