Manchester United could reportedly have signed Harry Maguire for as much as £20million less than they eventually paid for him.
However, former manager Jose Mourinho was adamant he did not want to pay a penny over £50m to Leicester City for the England defender, despite a £60m deal being in place, according to the Daily Mirror.
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Maguire ended up joining United a year later and has looked a solid signing for the club, and it certainly seems like they could have done with him coming in earlier.
The Red Devils were not convincing at the back last season as they relied on the likes of Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly, with Maguire proving a clear upgrade on both.
It’s fair to say Mourinho did not endear himself to United fans during his time in charge at Old Trafford, and reports like this won’t do much to boost his reputation at the club.
The Portuguese tactician has often spent vast sums of money on top players throughout his career, and it’s unclear why he was so unconvinced by this deal.
Maguire may not be the best centre-back in the world, but in this market a £60m fee for him looks like pretty reasonable business.