Manchester United set to launch huge bid for England defender

Manchester United are reportedly preparing to launch a sizable bid for England defender Harry Maguire.

The Leicester City centre-back enjoyed a breakout tournament for the Three Lions at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and is understood to have attracted significant interest from United manager Jose Mourinho. According to Charlie Sale of The Daily Mail, United would have to pay as much as £50m to take Maguire from Leicester which would represent a significant profit for the Tigers after they paid Hull City £17m last year to bring the 25-year-old to the King Power Stadium. Maguire's former teammate Riyad Mahrez said that the defender deserves to be playing at a higher level next season and that it doesn't surprise him to see how he performed at the World Cup

"I have always believed that 'H' (Harry Maguire) is a very good player, he has shown that since the day he came to Leicester and the season he had last year," Mahrez said at his first news conference as a Manchester City player. "It doesn't surprise me to see how he has done at the World Cup. Of course he deserves to play higher but Leicester are a good club as well, so it's him who has to decide and we will see."

Meanwhile Birmingham City manager Harry Redknapp predicts that Leicester will have a difficult time holding onto Maguire this summer and that he reminds him of former Ireland defender Richard Dunne.

"Not saying it now, it's easy to be wise afterwards, but I've been a big fan of his for a few years," Redknapp said at the launch of AIB's The Toughest Rivalry series earlier this week. "He always reminded me of Richard Dunne because you look at him and he's not a great move, or you wouldn't look at him and think he's silky smooth, but he's so effective. "I mean I had Richard Dunne and people used to say, coaches in my dressing room, that would say 'get it up the side of him you'd do him for pace'. "I've gone 'no you don't do Richard Dunne for pace, he's the quickest thing you've ever seen in your life. Richard Dunne was a flying machine. He was just a great big bloke and people thought he couldn't' run because he looked that way but he had the pace of sprinter. He was incredible. "I think Harry Maguire has got an ungainly look about him but I think Harry Maguire you look at him and he's not smooth but what a competitor. What a good player. "Good in the air, good on the ball, I see Tony Adams in him as well. He's a leader. I think Leicester are going to have an awful time trying to hang onto him. There's going to be a lot of clubs trying to buy him."