Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been doing some behind-the-scenes groundwork on his No.1 transfer target Harry Maguire.
Solskjaer is desperate to bolster his defensive ranks this summer and has prioritised the signing of a centre-back after adding right-back Aaron Wan-Bisakka to his squad last month.
Top of his list is Leicester and England star Maguire, who is at the centre of a transfer battle between United and fierce rivals Manchester City.
Solskjaer has opted to use his contacts to do research on the defender, with the manager seemingly intent on ensuring any potential arrivals are the perfect fit for the club.
And, as revealed by Mirror Football , Solskjaer has approached his England stars at Manchester United for their thoughts on Maguire.
The United boss has spoken to his Three Lions contingent about Maguire to get the inside track on the big defender's personality.
And the feedback he got about the Foxes star from Ashley Young, Chris Smalling, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Phil Jones was positive.
All five stars have spent plenty of time with Maguire, who was first called up to Gareth Southgate’s squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovakia in 2017.
Solskjaer was told about a quiet guy with a fantastic attitude who simply gets on with his football and will have a positive impact on the squad.
Leicester, meanwhile, have rebuffed United's opening offer of £70million, believing Maguire to be worth £90m - with the Foxes only prepared to sell if their valuation of the England centre-back is met.
With Maguire under contract for another four years, Leicester are under no pressure to sell, but United do not feel the 26-year-old is worth more than the £75m Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk 18 months ago - a world record fee for a defender.
United and local rivals Manchester City are both keen to sign Maguire this summer, with the player said to prefer a move to the Blues, who can offer Champions League football next season, unlike Solskjaer's side.
Maguire signed a new five-year contract last September, but is understood to be determined to push through a move this summer, after being denied a switch 12 months ago, when United were also in for him.
And United will now seemingly step up their pursuit as Solskjaer looks to add to his squad before the start of the new season.
