Harry Maguire refutes Manchester United transfer link

Leicester City defender Harry Maguire has indicated that he was never really close to joining Manchester United during the summer transfer window. The centre-back had a strong World Cup with England where they managed to reach the semi-final stage and he was thereafter associated with a potential move away from the King Power Stadium.

Unlike the speculation, however, a transfer to Old Trafford never came to fruition and Maguire has now clarified that a switch away from the Foxes was never on his mind, he said: “No, I don’t think so. There was a little bit of interest there and then but it was always on my mind [United move] when I spoke to the owners [of Leicester], who wanted to keep me at the club and extend my contract, that I wanted to play for this club. The last two years have been remarkable for myself. I obviously got relegated with Hull and then joined such a great club in Leicester last season. “I played every game in the Premier League and to make a World Cup squad and to reach a semi-final is something that I am really proud of.”

Since the close of the transfer window, Maguire has been ever-present for the Foxes in the Premier League and he has already featured in the first four games of the season. Moreover, he has now earned a new five-year contract with the Foxes with a salary rise and this should probably keep him with the club for the next couple of years at the least.

Maguire is currently on national team duty with England and he played through the entire 90 minutes of the 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Nations League opener. The Three Lions had their fair share of opportunities during the course of that game but poor finishing and a goal being chalked off controversially meant that they had to suffer a rare defeat under Gareth Southgate.