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What's the story?
According to John Percy of The Telegraph, Harry Maguire has been granted permission to miss Leicester City's final pre-season friendly of the summer amid uncertainty over his future.
The 26-year-old reportedly held talks with Brendan Rodgers earlier today and it was decided that it would be the best decision for all parties to leave him out of the squad.
In case you didn't know...
Manchester United's pursuit of Maguire has been no secret and their interest stretches back to 2018, when Jose Mourinho made an unsuccessful attempt to lure the Englishman to the Theater of Dreams.
The Red Devils have rekindled their interest under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as they look to add some much-needed quality to their rear-guard.
The last bid on the table is believed to be in the region of £70 million, an offer Leicester rebuffed immediately as the West-Midlands outfit reportedly want a world-record fee to part with their superstar defender.
Although Maguire has signaled his intention to move to the record English champions, Leicester are standing firm on their £90 million valuation.
The heart of the matter
Maguire has been omitted from Leicester's squad for their friendly against Atalanta amid rumors of a move to Manchester United and the Englishman faces an anxious wait to determine his future, with the transfer window approaching the closing stages.
At the moment, Maguire's dream move hangs in the balance as the two clubs seem to have reached an impasse but it has been reported that United will return with a take-it or leave-it offer to test Leicester's resolve.
Although the Englishman remains a priority for Manchester United, the Red Devils are reportedly unwilling to match Leicester's £90 million valuation.
What's next?
With the transfer window reaching its climax, Manchester United's pursuit of Maguire is all set to go down to the wire and it remains to be seen if the two parties reach an amicable agreement.
If the 26-year-old's move were to come to fruition, he would become the most expensive defender in world football, eclipsing the £75 million fee Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk in 2018
