Harry is going to United… on the away coach
LEICESTER manager Claude Puel admits Harry Maguire will be going to Old Trafford. “I can confirm Harry is going to Manchester – but only for a couple of hours!” said Puel, who confirmed his defender will be included in the squad for tonight’s Premier League opener against United. But Puel had to stop himself reaching for the headache pills as his star defender turned in a string of impressive displays for England in Russia.
Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions charged to the semi-finals and, with each passing game, Maguire’s value shot up.
United topped the list of admirers with Jose Mourinho making a £60million bid to land the 25-year-old. But Leicester resisted moves for their defensive rock, who cost them just £17m from Hull 12 months ago.
“I’m happy to keep Harry,” said Puel. “I’m a football manager and I want to keep our best players for the squad and for our season. I’m not sure whether he will start against United, we will have to wait and see.”
Puel admitted he was hearing alarm bells as Maguire hit his stride in Russia. Asked if he was thinking ‘Oh, my God’, Puel said with a grin: “Yes, of course. It’s difficult. I wasn’t tempted to switch the TV off because it was amazing to watch your players performing well. It’s a good thing to see any of your players performing like that on the international stage.”
Puel said he had no concerns that Maguire might be affected by Leicester slamming the door on a big-money move to Old Trafford.
“I suppose some people could have got cocky about it but Harry is a fantastic player and a
fantastic man,” said Puel. “He came back after the World Cup with a smile on his face and also with great humility. He has shown a really good attitude.
“I think his team-mates were happy to see him again. I don’t know if they’ve been teasing him. Maybe, between themselves, they have.
“Everybody is happy for him. He has proved himself to be one of the best defenders in the world so when that happens you are happy for him.” Puel says he never envisaged the same sort of problems Leicester encountered when Riyad Mahrez went AWOL after seeing a big-money bid from Manchester City knocked back in January.
Mahrez eventually got his £60m move to the Etihad but only after a protracted fallout with Leicester.
Puel said: “It’s different. Harry is a different character. Riyad was 27 and perhaps thought it was his last opportunity. Harry understands.”
Leicester did however add two centre-backs to their ranks in Dinamo Zagreb’s Filip Benkovic and Caglar Soyuncu of Freiburg.
Both agreed five-year deals, with Benkovic, 21, signing for £13m and Soyuncu, 22, £17m.
Jamie Vardy, 31, also committed his future to the club by signing a lucrative four-year contract extension to 2022.