Leicester City manager Claude Puel has joked Manchester United’s interest in Harry Maguire is purely to stir “trouble” before their Premier League encounter.
The Red Devils are believed to be interested in bolstering their defence with 25-year-old Maguire, who was a standout performer for England at the World Cup.
Puel, though, has repeatedly insisted the centre-back would not be sold, describing him as too valuable to lose in the wake of Riyad Mahrez’s departure to Manchester City.
The stand-off could make for a tense atmosphere when the two clubs meet in the first fixture of the Premier League season next Friday.
“It’s not the thing to try to make trouble but I think he’s a better player for us.
“It’s our intent to keep him and just a few days before the start of the season it would not be a good thing for the squad, for confidence and for the club [to lose him].”
Maguire and England team-mate Jamie Vardy will both miss the trip to Old Trafford due to limited training time after the World Cup.
New signing Jonny Evans, who sat out Wednesday’s 1-1 friendly draw with Valencia, is also in doubt through injury.
Maguire was called up to the England national under-21 team for the first time in November 2012 for a friendly against Northern Ireland. Danny Wilson stated “He has got a fantastic maturity for his age, he takes everything in his stride and nothing fazes him. I don’t expect this call-up to either because he is such a level headed character.” Maguire duly made his England under-21 debut as a substitute in the 60th minute, coming on for Liverpool’s Andre Wisdom in a 2–0 win against Northern Ireland Under-21s at Bloomfield Road.
On 24 August 2017, England manager Gareth Southgate included Maguire in his squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Malta and Slovakia.
He made his debut when starting in England’s 1–0 away win over Lithuania, which was the team’s final match in their successful 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.
Maguire was named in the 23-man England national team squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He assisted Harry Kane’s winner against Tunisia on 18 June 2018 in England’s World Cup opener. England won 2–1. Maguire scored his first England goal on 7 July 2018 with a 30th-minute header from Ashley Young’s cross in a 2–0 win over Sweden in the quarter-final.
Born in Sheffield, he came through the youth system at Sheffield United before graduating to the first team in 2011. He totalled 166 professional games for the Blades and was their Player of the Year three consecutive times, also featuring in the PFA Team of the Year for League One as many times. In 2014, he transferred to Hull City for £2.5 million, who loaned him to Wigan Athletic in 2015. He joined Leicester City in 2017 for a potential £17 million fee.