Man Utd source puts huge dampener on chances of Harry Maguire deal

Manchester United’s hopes of signing Harry Maguire from Leicester have suffered a blow after a source dismissed claims that a deal had been agreed for the defender.

United are understood to be desperate to land Maguire before the August 8 transfer deadline, with the centre-half having become ‘frustrated’ at the move being blocked.

The Red Devils are believed to have seen their latest bid of £70million rejected for the England international, with Leicester more than happy to play hardball in negotiations, having openly insisted they have no need to sell.

As such, the Foxes are believed to be holding out for a fee of closer to £80m, which would represent a world record deal for a defender, trumping the £75m it took Liverpool to sign Virgil van Dijk from Southampton in 2018.

On Monday night reliable Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reported that the ‘white smoke’ is close, with the player pushing for a move.

“The long negotiation is about to give the white smoke,” he wrote on his official website.

“Harry Maguire is getting closer to Manchester United, the deal is closing.

“The Leicester defender has always made clear his desire to move to Manchester, so much so that today he has not even presented himself to the Foxes training sessions.

“His will is being respected, his transfer to the Reds is in fact being defined.”

However, the Manchester Evening News has been quick to dismiss Di Mazio’s claims and they claim United are still no nearer to signing the England centre-half.

They insist the Foxes are standing firm in their £80m valuation of Maguire, while United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is adamant he won’t raise his £70m offer for the defender, believing that to be a fair price.

Furthermore, a Manchester United ‘source’ has told the newspaper that the two clubs are ‘still some way apart’ from a deal.

And with the window due to shut at 5pm on Thursday August 8, it remains to be seen whether United will finalise the transfer in time.

Maguire missed training with Leicester on Monday, though that was later explained as a stomach bug rather than because of transfer speculation.

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