Harry Maguire

In July 2019, Manchester United made a £70 million bid for Maguire, a year after the club backed down from a deal because the same fee was considered too high. They made an improved bid, believed to be £80 million, which was accepted by Leicester on 2 August. The fee surpassed the £75 million Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk in January 2018, making Maguire the world's most expensive defender. The transfer was completed on 5 August, with Maguire signing a six-year contract with the option of a further year. He made his United debut in their opening match of the Premier League season, a 4–0 home victory over Chelsea on 11 August, and received the Man of the Match award. On 17 January 2020, he was named as the new club captain by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær following Ashley Young's departure to Inter Milan. Nine days later, he opened up a 6–0 FA Cup win against Tranmere Rovers by scoring his first goal for United.

He scored his first Premier League goal for United on 17 February 2020 against Chelsea in a 2–0 away win.

Maguire was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire and was raised in the nearby village of Mosborough. His brothers, Joe and Laurence, are also footballers. He attended Immaculate Conception Catholic Primary School in Spinkhill and St Mary's Roman Catholic High School in Chesterfield. He is engaged to Fern Hawkins. On 3 April 2019, Maguire revealed on his Instagram page that Hawkins had given birth to their first child, a daughter named Lillie Saint Maguire.

Amid speculation about a transfer to Manchester United for a potential world record fee for a defender, Maguire's Leicester manager Claude Puel confirmed on transfer deadline day of 9 August 2018 that Maguire would stay at the club, his only travel to Manchester being to face United with the Leicester squad in the fixture the evening after.

Maguire was named in the 23-man England squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He assisted Harry Kane's winner against Tunisia on 18 June 2018 in England's World Cup opener. England won 2–1. Maguire scored his first England goal on 7 July 2018 with a 30th-minute header from Ashley Young's cross in a 2–0 win over Sweden in the quarter-final.

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.

On 24 August 2017, England manager Gareth Southgate included Maguire in his squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Malta and Slovakia. He made his debut when starting in England's 1–0 away win over Lithuania, which was the team's final match in their successful 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.

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.

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.

On 21 June 2014, it was revealed that United had offered Maguire an improved contract amid interest from Hull City and Wolverhampton Wanderers in signing Maguire with United already rejecting a £1 million and an improved £1.5 million bid from Wolves.

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.

Having cemented his place in the first team Maguire scored his first goal for the Blades in a 2–0 win at Oldham Athletic on the opening day of the 2011–12 League One season. Having been ever present from the start of the season Maguire was handed an extended deal in October to keep him at Bramall Lane until 2015. He continued in great form as the Blades pushed for promotion from League One and was rewarded at the end of the season when he was named as both "Player of the Year" and "Young Player of the Year" by the club. The BBC's Match of the Day magazine selected Maguire in its League One Team of The Year for 2011–12.

Maguire played one match for England under-21 in 2012. In October 2017, he made his senior debut, and he was chosen for the 2018 FIFA World Cup squad.

Maguire went into the following season as first choice in the centre of defence and his good form continued as he scored a brace in a Football League Trophy tie in a 4–1 victory over Notts County at Meadow Lane on 17 October 2012. By the end of February 2013 Maguire had made his 100th start for the Blades in a 0–0 draw against Leyton Orient at Bramall Lane at the age of just 19.

Maguire was called up to the England national under-21 team for the first time in November 2012 for a friendly against Northern Ireland. Danny Wilson stated "He has got a fantastic maturity for his age, he takes everything in his stride and nothing fazes him. I don't expect this call-up to either because he is such a level headed character." Maguire duly made his England under-21 debut as a substitute in the 60th minute, coming on for Liverpool's Andre Wisdom in a 2–0 win against Northern Ireland Under-21s at Bloomfield Road.

Born in Sheffield, he came through the youth system at Sheffield United before graduating to the first team in 2011. He totalled 166 professional games for the Blades and was their Player of the Year three consecutive times, also featuring in the PFA Team of the Year for League One as many times. In 2014, he transferred to Hull City for £2.5 million, who loaned him to Wigan Athletic in 2015. He joined Leicester City in 2017 for an initial fee of £12 million. Two years later, he moved to Manchester United for a fee believed to be £80 million, a world-record fee for a defender.

After coming through the youth system at Sheffield United, and with the team struggling against relegation, Maguire was promoted to the first-team squad, making his debut after coming on as a half-time substitute and winning the man of the match award in a home match against Cardiff City in April 2011. He made four further appearances that season but could not prevent the club from being relegated to League One.

Jacob Harry Maguire (born 5 March 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Premier League club Manchester United, whom he captains, and the England national team.