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Harry Maguire has moved a step closer to an £80million move to Manchester United after telling Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers he wants to leave.

The 26-year-old England centre back has set his sights on a move to Old Trafford with champions Manchester City unwilling to enter into a costly auction for the ball-playing defender.

That's left the way clear for United to push home the deal – with Maguire telling Rodgers and his Leicester teammates he's ready to quit the club.

Maguire is understood to have made his intentions clear to Rodgers and the Leicester squad during the club's pre-season training camp in Evian, France, last week.

The Three Lions star – one of Gareth Southgate's stand-out stars at the World Cup in Russia a year ago – had appeared to favour a move to The Etihad.

(Image: Leicester City via Getty Images)

But after failing to drive through a move to United a year ago, with former Old Trafford boss Jose Mourinho desperate to land the Sheffield-born star, it seems Maguire is happy to be part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's revolution.

Although City still hold an interest in Maguire it appears United are more willing to go closest to Leicester's valuation.

And both Solskjaer and Rodgers are hoping a deal can be reached sooner rather than later to help their planning for the new campaign.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

Maguire is believed to have struck a pact with Leicester's hierarchy that he could leave this summer after giving the club another season after the World Cup.

The England star believes he fulfilled his part of the bargain by not agitating to move and staying at the King Power Stadium last season and is comfortable about leaving this summer.

Leicester have already been linked with Burnley and England defender James Tarkowski and Bournemouth stars Nathan Ake and Lewis Dunk as replacements for Maguire when he leaves.

(Image: RICHARD WAINWRIGHT/EPA-EFE/REX)

After signing right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace in a £45 million deal Solskjaer is desperate to add a top class central defender to his squad before the season starts.

And he's also targeted Sporting Lisbon's Portugal international Bruno Fernandes as a midfielder replacement for Ander Herrera who has left for Paris St Germain.