Harry Maguire to snub £50m Manchester City move and commit future to Leicester
Centre-back Maguire, 24, believes the Foxes are on the up and he wants to be part of it
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HARRY MAGUIRE is ready to disappoint Pep Guardiola — by pledging his future to Leicester.
The £50million-rated England defender has been eyed by Manchester City this season.
But Maguire, 24, believes the Foxes are on the up and he wants to be part of it.
The classy centre-back’s value has skyrocketed since his £17m summer move from Hull.
And his displays have impressed City boss Guardiola and seen him break into Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
But Maguire is in no hurry to quit the King Power with Leicester’s Thai owners determined to build on the club’s shock title win two years ago.
Maguire said: “I knew when I joined the Foxes that it was a big team — a big Premier League club.
“We’ve got a good owner who wants the club to move forward and upwards, instead of looking below us.
“I know the club is on an upward curve and, hopefully, I will be a part of that future.”
Maguire has played EVERY minute of EVERY Premier League match this season.
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He added: “I want to play every game. Sometimes when the manager says you’re being rested, you’re disappointed. I want to keep playing and keep clean sheets. Yes, I do like to play out from the back but, first and foremost, my job is to defend.
“And I played three years in League One, so if you can’t head, kick, block, then I don’t think I’d be where I am now.”
Meanwhile, Foxes chiefs have paid the EFL £3.1m amid claims the club broke Financial Fair Play rules when they were promoted four years ago.
In the 2013/14 season, losses among Championship clubs were limited to £8m — with teams told they faced a transfer ban or financial rap for failing to do so.
Leicester are said to have had a deficit of more than £20m and were, therefore, accused of breaching EFL rules.
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But proceedings were delayed due the outcome of an ongoing legal challenge by Queens Park Rangers against those rules.
The EFL says Leicester chiefs did not make any deliberate attempt to break the rules and both parties have now agreed a settlement.