Harry Maguire rejected an eye-watering £278,000-a-week contract offer from Manchester City, to join their fierce rivals Manchester United this summer, because he supported them as a boy, Star Sport reports.
The staggering offer from the Premier League champions, would have seen Maguire earn £70million over five years.
But the 26-year-old centre-back turned it down and instead moved to Old Trafford for £80million, a world record for a defender.
Maguire and his representatives had several meetings with City chiefs and they offered to make him the highest-paid defender in the world.
But the Sheffield-born star had already decided to join United, who he supported as a boy, and ultimately signed a contract with United, that is worth almost £100,000 a week less than what he could have earned at the Etihad.
Maguire put pen-to-paper on a six-year deal at Old Trafford that will see him take home £190,000 a week.
Following City’s Community Shield victory over Liverpool this month, Pep Guardiola admitted they wanted to sign Maguire but could not afford him.
“He’s an excellent, top-class player,” said the Spanish coach.
“We were interested but could not afford it.”
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