Why Leicester are refusing to budge on Harry Maguire fee as Man Utd baulk at £90m

Manchester United have been chasing the England international’s signature all summer.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already had a £70million bid for the 26-year-old rejected by the Foxes, who are determined to hold onto their prized asset.

Leicester want a minimum of £90million for the former Sheffield United man, who has been a rock at the heart of their defence for the last two seasons.

The Midlands club aren’t under any immediate pressure to part company with the centre-back, though he has reportedly informed them he wants to leave this summer.

And according to journalist Jonathan Shrager, the Leicester brass aren’t prepared to accept a cut-price fee for him as he has four years left on his deal at the King Power Stadium and has no release clause in his contract.

“From what I’m being told about Maguire, #MUFC and Leicester’s valuations were still apart as of yesterday, with both clubs playing hardball,” Shrager tweeted.

“LCFC maintain he has 4 years left on [his] current contract, so they don’t need to sell.

“Harry also doesn’t have a release clause in said contract.”

United are said to have baulked at Leicester’s asking price for Maguire, who they could’ve signed for £4million in 2013.

However, it’s been claimed Red Devils chief Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has instructed executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to stump up the cash for his main defensive target.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Maguire is said to have remained professional throughout Leicester’s pre-season preparations, which continue on Friday night when they take on Serie A side Atalanta.

“He has been the same Harry that we know and love,” Leicester captain Wes Morgan said after the Foxes’ pre-season win over Cheltenham earlier this month. “You can see in the games he’s putting 100 per cent effort into everything he does and his quality is there for everyone to see.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future but for now he’s still a Leicester player and we enjoy having him here. He’s said nothing.

“There’s going to be speculation because he’s a top-class player who has done well at international level. Big teams are going to take an interest and that goes for many of our top players.

“People want our best players and he is one of them.

“In training, it’s the same old banter, the same old training. He’s part of Leicester so we just treat him the same.”

source: express.co.uk