MANCHESTER UNITED reportedly opted against signing Harry Maguire for just £4million when he was plying his trade at Sheffield United in 2013.
SunSport exclusively revealed that the Leicester centre-back is closing in on a world-record £80million move to Old Trafford.
It is understood that the Foxes have lined up Brighton defender Lewis Dunk as his replacement after agreeing a £45m deal.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is desperate to bolster his backline this summer, with the Red Devils already forking out £50m for Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
But United could have saved themselves £76m if they had listened to then-manager David Moyes six years ago, who had singled out Maguire as one of his targets.
According to the Mirror, Sir Alex Ferguson told his Scottish compatriot that the England international would become a world-beater and he should snap him up.
The former Toffees boss then told his scouting team to keep tabs on him, but United ultimately decided against bringing him to Old Trafford.
Maguire joined Hull in 2014 for an initial deal worth £2.5m, before he moved to Leicester in 2017 for a deal rising to £17m.
The 26-year-old was heavily linked with United last year following his World Cup heroics, but Jose Mourinho failed to secure his services.
United are now set to pay £60m for Maguire, with an extra £20m available in add-ons.
Should he complete his switch to the Theatre of Dreams, he will become the world’s most expensive defender – eclipsing the £75m Liverpool paid Southampton for Virgil van Dijk.
