Manchester United will NOT meet Leicester City’s £80million asking price for England defender Harry Maguire.
That’s according to journalist Neil Custis, who says the Red Devils have ‘had their fingers burned too many times’ in the transfer market and won’t be held to ransom by the Foxes.
Man United and Man City were reportedly set for a cross-town transfer battle to sign the 26-year-old centre-back this summer.
Will Gavin looks at the potential of Harry Maguire choosing Man City over Man Utd
However, it appears Leicester’s huge asking price may have ended both clubs’ chase.
According to reports, Maguire would prefer a move to City but the Premier League champions are not willing to pay anywhere near Leicester’s £80m price tag – valuing him at closer to £60m.
It was then suggested United were ready to pay up the full amount, but Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers revealed on Tuesday they had received two bids for the England international – thought to be from the Manchester rivals – but both were deemed unsatisfactory.
Custis, The Sun’s Old Trafford correspondent, joined Wednesday’s Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast to share the latest from United’s pre-season tour of Australia.
And he said of the Maguire transfer saga: “Manchester City won’t pay over £60m because that’s how they value him and City are in a very powerful position as one of the best teams in the world in saying, ‘if you’re not going to accept that, we’ll find somebody else, that’s fine’.
“Manchester United have had their fingers burned too many times with transfers – people keep adding £10m or £20m to figures that are unrealistic.
“£80m for Harry Maguire is ridiculous, it’s totally and utterly unrealistic.
“£50m, yep, fine. He’s good but he’s not great. He’s not Nemanja Vidic, he’s not Rio Ferdinand and he’s not Virgil van Dijk.
“For goodness sake, £80m is ridiculous… Man United aren’t going to have the mick taken out of them again because they’ve had it with Alexis Sanchez.
“I’d be surprise if Sanchez plays another game for Man United because he has been so woeful and his attitude has been so terrible.”