One of the dominant story lines of the summer transfer window’s final days was Manchester United’s desperation to sign another centre back and failing to do so. Leicester City and England star Harry Maguire was one of their top targets in the window’s final couple weeks, but the transfer never really came close to materializing.
Maguire has spoken about United’s pursuit of him in public for the first time, saying the following on Match of the Day:
“There was obviously a little bit of interest, you’ve probably all seen.”
“The owners spoke with me and they reiterated that I wasn’t for sale at any price. So I respected their decision, they’re the ones that gave me the chance to come to Leicester and play for such a great club.
“So I respect that decision, and I just got my head down and got ready to play the season for Leicester.”
Maguire was essentially a contingency plan when the prospects of acquiring their first choice, Tottenham Hotspur’s Toby Aldwerweireld, fell through. It makes sense for the Foxes that they weren’t going to sell Maguire, at any price, given what had happened earlier in the window with another Manchester club. Leicester resisted Man City’s acquisition of Riyad Mahrez as long as they could, delaying a move that should have happened in January until the summer.
It only makes that they were unwilling to part with Harry Maguire in light of the roster depletion which already occurred.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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