Manchester duo to battle it out over in-demand England defender

Harry Maguire is the subject of interest from both Manchester United and Manchester City, according to The Mirror.

The Leicester defender has enjoyed a fine first season at the King Power Stadium to date and has forced his way into the reckoning for a starting berth for England, let alone place in the squad at the World Cup this summer.

Some eyebrows were raised when The Foxes forked out a fee in the region of £17m for the 24-year-old ahead of the season but that price is already looking like a steal.

Maguire has gained a reputation for being able to contribute at both ends, bringing the ball out from the back and carrying a goal threat in the opposition box to boot.

The centre-back has scored twice and registered a further four assists in the league this season, with the latter ranking among the top ten Englishmen in the Premier League.

He’s also on said leaderboard for successful dribbles (34), ahead of the likes of Dele Alli and teammate Jamie Vardy, despite playing in defence.

Both Manchester clubs have been tracking his progress and could battle it out for Maguire’s signature in the summer, with Leicester likely to hold out for a fee close to £50m. Whether they would entertain offers from City in particular following the saga over Riyad Mahrez remains to be seen and could put United in the driving seat.