Maguire’s price not for City

MANCHESTER CITY will turn their attentions elsewhere if Leicester refuse to budge on their £90million valuation of Harry Maguire.

The Premier League champions have made the England defender (above) a priority target after going cold on Ajax skipper Matthijs de Ligt.

But City are unwilling to meet an asking price for the 26-year-old centre-back that is deemed excessive.

City are prepared to smash the £60million club record fee paid for Riyad Mahrez last year.

But senior sources insist they have drawn up a list of alternatives should Leicester refuse to budge on their valuation.

City have made it clear during talks with targets such as Frenkie de Jong and Alexis Sanchez in recent years that they are no longer a club who will break the budget they have set on players.

Manchester United are also keen on Maguire, but the Yorkshireman is reported to prefer a move to the Etihad.

City, however, are prepared to walk away if the numbers don’t add up for the former Hull and Sheffield United star.

Leicester don’t want to sell Maguire – and their hand has also been strengthened by the fact it is no secret City need a new centre-back after Vincent Kompany joined Anderlecht as playermanager.

City are also waiting for Brazilian defender Danilo to tell them if he is unsettled in Manchester before stepping up their interest in Juventus fullback Joao Cancelo. TOTTENHAM star-spotter Steve Hitchin has rejected the chance to move to Marseille as Director of Football.

But the highly-rated Spurs Chief Scout is still on the radar of Manchester United and several Premier League clubs – with Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino desperate to keep him.

I understand the Tottenham boss persuaded Salford-born Hitchin to turn down Marseille’s approach when they made contact last week.

Unlike last year, Tottenham are planning a summer of transfer activity – and Pochettino wants Hitchin pulling the strings.

Hitchin was involved in signing Luis Suarez at Liverpool and is in his second spell at Spurs after previously working under Harry Redknapp, where he has recruited Lucas Moura, Davinson Sanchez, Fernando Llorente and Juan Foyth.