MAGUIRE’S AN £80m BARGAIN
Evans says record fee will soon seem a snip
JONNY EVANS says Manchester United’s worldrecord £80million capture of Harry Maguire will prove to be “a bargain”.
United paid a record fee for a defender when they signed Maguire from Leicester in the summer, eclipsing the £75m Liverpool spent on Virgil van Dijk.
Maguire faces his old club for the first time tomorrow when Leicester, unbeaten this season and currently third in the table, travel to Old Trafford. And the Foxes’ former United defender Evans, right, who played with Maguire at Leicester, believes the 26-year-old will eventually prove to be money well spent.
“I think Harry will be at United for eight, nine or 10 years,” said Evans. “When it comes to that point, I think people will look back at the fee and say it was a bargain. I’ve been really impressed with Harry. I think he’ll go on to be a real success at United and he could go on to be their captain.
“I only spent a season playing with him but it felt like we formed a good relationship, on and off the pitch. He’s a fantastic player and he suits everything United are looking for. Not just in his playing style, but how he behaves off the pitch and the personality he can bring.
“He likes to build games out from the back, start attacks and show his personality on the ball.
“He had a tremendous time at Leicester and is really close with a lot of the boys, so I’m sure it’ll be a strange occasion for him.”
Evans, who spent a decade at United, knows the pressure that comes with the club but is convinced Maguire can handle it. “It’s the level of scrutiny that’s the hardest thing to get used to,” he said. “It’s not necessarily what you’re doing on the pitch, it’s the fact everything you do in your life is scrutinised, everywhere you go.
“So it’s that level of scrutiny he’s going to come under, but he’s had that experience with England and I think he handled that tremendously.
“Harry’s got the personality to handle that. He’s a very laid-back character, but also very driven to succeed and a very intelligent guy. “He’s unbelievable with the ball at his feet, can attack the ball well in the air and, with all that in his locker, I think he’s the complete defender in the modern game.”
Under Brendan Rodgers, Leicester have lofty aims and Evans is confident they can improve on last season’s ninth-place finish. “Before the season started, our aim was to break into the European places,” said Evans. “We’ve got ambitions to achieve something this year.”