Shakey in a hurry for Harry
FOXES TO NET £17m ACE
CRAIG SHAKESPEARE is set to land £17m Hull defender Harry Maguire in his first big-money deal as Leicester boss.
The Foxes have agreed a fee for the England prospect and hope to complete his signing before the weekend after missing out on West Brom’s Jonny Evans.
The arrival of the 24-year-old will mean success for Shakespeare in filling his No.1 target position this summer, with regular centre-backs Wes Morgan and Robert Huth both the wrong side of 30.
Frenchman Yohan Benalouane produced some impressive displays at the end of last season in place of injured captain Morgan, but Shakespeare was still desperate for more options and offered £10m for Northern Ireland international Evans, only to get short shrift from the Baggies.
Leicester then turned their attentions to Maguire and they have now agreed to pay £12m up front with a possible £5m more in add-ons.
His arrival looks set to end Leicester’s interest in Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson.
Shakespeare will now target a striker, with £16m misfit Ahmed Musa and unsettled Leo Ulloa both expected to leave.
And the new Foxes chief will also move for a goalscoring midfielder, unless he can persuade Riyad Mahrez to change his mind and stay. Mahrez has asked to leave the King Power Stadium and Shakespeare is set to swoop for Swansea’s Gylfi Sigurdsson if the Algerian needs to be replaced. Shakespeare is keen to freshen up his squad, despite leading the 2016 Premier League champions to safety at the end of last season. He is also eyeing up goalkeeping targets in case there is a raid for Leicester No.1 Kasper Schmeichel. Hull shot-stopper Eldin Jakupovic is one of the players being considered but Leicester are hopeful that Schmeichel will stay. The club’s Thai owners are set to back Shakespeare with significant transfer funds after handing him a three-year deal. His first signing was Chester captain Sam Hughes, who cost £130,000. However, the 20-year-old defender is not seen as an instant first-team contender, so Maguire will become Shakespeare’s first significant signing since agreeing to stay on as boss. The Tigers paid £250,000 to sign Maguire from Sheffield United in 2014. And he shone for Marco Silva’s side last season, despite relegation to the Championship.