Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has described their England centre back Harry Maguire as a "special player" they do not want to lose but conceded they have no choice after Manchester United met the Midlands club's valuation.
British media reported on Friday that United had reached an agreement with fellow Premier League team Leicester to sign the 26-year-old England international, with a transfer fee of £80 million (Dh357.2m) agreed.
Maguire is expected to agree personal terms and complete a medical at the Old Trafford club over the weekend.
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Who finishes where in Premier League 2019/20?
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"The clubs have agreed (a fee) and there's still some work for it to go through. There's still a bit to go in terms of Harry's medical and whatever personal things to sort out, but it is what it is," Rodgers told Sky Sports.
The deal would make Maguire the most expensive defender in the world, surpassing the 75 million Liverpool paid Southampton for Dutch international Virgil van Dijk last year.
"I think it's an incredible piece of business," Rodgers added after Leicester's 2-1 win over Atalanta in a pre-season friendly at the King Power Stadium on Friday.
"This is a guy (Maguire) that knows there has been interest all through the summer and he's been super professional. He's been with his team mates right the way through and been a really, really good guy.
"He's a special player, he's not a player that we would want to lose. But obviously any player will have a valuation and if ever that is met then of course there's a discussion between clubs and whether the player wants to stay or go."
Last year Maguire, who helped England reach the World Cup semi-finals, signed a contract extension at Leicester until 2023. He played 31 league games last term, scoring three goals.
Rodgers previously said the 2016 league champions had rejected two bids last month for Maguire because they did not meet the club's valuation but they would not stand in the defender's way once a fee was agreed.
"Football now, that's how it works, individuals will have their own goals and targets and whatever it is they want to achieve and that's something that they will always have," former Liverpool manager Rodgers added.
"We will see how it develops over the weekend and if Harry ends up going then we will have to look at our options."
The Premier League transfer window shuts on Thursday and Leicester, who finished ninth last season, begin the new campaign at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 11.
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Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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