Man Utd hope £70m Harry Maguire transfer bid will kill off Man City interest in Leicester star

Manchester United have tabled a £70million bid for Harry Maguire, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer desperate to secure the centre-back in time for the club’s pre-season tour.

Leicester City have rejected the offer, which is still someway short of their £90m valuation - but United believe the size of the bid should kill off Manchester City’s interest in the England international.

United are also set to formalise their pursuit of Sean Longstaff this week, with Solskjaer hopeful of including the Newcastle midfielder on the flight to Perth on Sunday for the start of their tour to Australia and the Far East.

But Maguire is the immediate priority and negotiations are expected to gather pace.

Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward has promised to bring in more ‘exciting players’ before the close of the transfer window, and Maguire has been identified as the top central defensive target.

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Pep Guardiola is also keen to sign the 26-year-old as a replacement for the departed Vincent Kompany.

But it’s believed City were only willing to pay in the region of £65m, which would set a new transfer record for the Premier League champions.

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United’s willingness to bid £70m and above could leave them as the only club in the race to sign Maguire.

Solskjaer went into the summer hoping to recruit two defenders, two midfielders and a forward.

He has already completed the signings of winger Daniel James and right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

He believes it is vital to find a top-class central defensive partner for Victor Lindelof, and needs to replace the departed Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini in midfield.

Longstaff fits with his intention to recruit the best emerging domestic talent, while Sporting Lisbon’s Bruno Fernandes is another target.

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Maguire was wanted by Jose Mourinho last summer, only for United to drop their interest in the face of Leicester’s valuation of above £60m.

The fear was his price had been inflated on the back of a good World Cup.

But Woodward is determined to deliver the players Solskjaer believes can transform the club’s fortunes, with Maguire seen as pivotal to that.

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The player was convinced he’d make the move to Old Trafford last summer after learning of United’s interest.

And even though he signed a new long-term deal at Leicester this season, it’s believed both he and the club remained open to a potential move for the right price.

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