Reported Manchester United target Harry Maguire should stay at Leicester City to continue his development, Claude Puel has said.
Maguire was relegated from the Premier League with Hull City a year ago but has since become one of the division’s most in-demand defenders.
United have been linked with the centre-back, who starred for England in their run to the semi-finals of the World Cup, although Leicester are reportedly trying to convince him to sign a new contract.
And Puel, who also hopes to keep Denmark’s World Cup star Kasper Schmeichel, thinks staying at King Power Stadium is the right move for 25-year-old Maguire.
“It is important for Maguire to continue for Leicester. It is a good feeling. If our players are interesting a lot of clubs it is because we are recruiting well and doing good work. It is important we continue this,” said Puel
“When we welcome players back from the World Cup, I hope we can give them the opportunity to continue advancing their ambitions and perform in the Premier League.”
Maguire’s former Leicester team-mate Riyad Mahrez, though, has suggested the defender should follow him through the exit door.
“Of course he deserves to play higher but Leicester is a good club as well, so it is him that will have to decide,” said Mahrez, who joined Premier League champions Manchester City this month for a reported £60million fee.
While Maguire and Schmeichel have been tipped to leave Leicester, the club have signed former Norwich City defender Louis Ramsay.
The 20-year-old confirmed the move in a social media post.
On 29 July 2014, Maguire joined Hull City in a deal worth £2.5 million, signing a three-year contract.He made his debut for the Tigers on 21 August in the UEFA Europa League play-off round first leg away to Lokeren of Belgium, a 1–0 defeat. He did not make his Premier League debut until 20 December, when he replaced the injured Curtis Davies for the final 13 minutes of a home loss by the same score against Swansea City.
After making only six appearances across all competitions at Hull, Maguire joined Wigan Athletic of the Championship on a one-month loan deal on 10 February 2015. A week later, he debuted in a 1–0 win at Reading.On 28 February, he scored a header from Jermaine Pennant’s cross in a 3–1 win away to Blackpool. Having played as many games in his month-long loan as he had for Hull in the first half of the season, Maguire’s stay at the DW Stadium was extended until the end of the season.
While Maguire was out on loan, Hull had been relegated to the Championship. On 28 May 2016, they won promotion back with a 1–0 play-off final win over Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley Stadium, with him replacing goalscorer Mohamed Diamé in the final minute.
In 2016–17, manager Mike Phelan made Maguire into a first-team regular. Maguire scored his first goal for Hull in a 2–1 EFL Cup win against Bristol City on 25 October 2016. Maguire captained Hull City in their league victory against Middlesbrough on 5 April 2017 and scored his first Premier League goal in the 4–2 win. In a season that ended with relegation, he was voted Hull’s Player of the Year by both the fans and the players.
On 15 June 2017, Maguire signed for Premier League club Leicester City on a five-year contract for an initial £12 million fee, potentially rising to £17 million with add-ons. He made his debut on 11 August as the season began with a 4–3 loss at Arsenal, and eight days later he scored his first goal for the Foxes, heading in Riyad Mahrez’s corner to conclude a 2–0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion at the King Power Stadium.
He played in every minute of the 2017–18 season and was awarded player of the season, as well as players’ player of the season at the club’s end of season awards.