Report: Manchester United snubbed Maguire in 2017, splurged on Lindelof instead

Manchester United fans' fears were realized Thursday as the club concluded its transfer business without adding any sort of reinforcement in the center of defense.

To add insult to injury, it appears the Red Devils could have secured one of their primary targets a year ago for just a fraction of the price. United turned down the opportunity to sign Harry Maguire from Hull City for around £15 million last summer before he joined Leicester City, The Telegraph's James Ducker reports.

Maguire ultimately moved to the Foxes in a deal worth up to £17 million, while United instead splashed a reported £31 million on Benfica's Victor Lindelof. Fast-forward a year and Maguire is rated at £65 million after starring for England at the World Cup, while Lindelof, though a regular feature for Sweden in Russia, stuttered in his first year at Old Trafford and appeared in less than half of his side's Premier League games last term.

Ducker suggests it would have taken an offer of £75 million to tempt Leicester into selling Maguire this summer - some five times the fee United likely would have had to pay last year.

During this window, United had also been linked to new Everton arrival Yerry Mina and Bayern Munich star Jerome Boateng, who reportedly turned down a move to Manchester.