The 5 most expensive defenders of all time

#1 Harry Maguire (Leicester City to Manchester United, 2019)

Maguire joins United as the most expensive defender in the world (Image Credit: Manchester United)

Transfer fee: £80 million

It's no secret that Manchester United have been chasing Harry Maguire since months. To be precise, José Mourinho was keen to add him to his then-United squad. Maguire's performances for Leicester City have been nothing short of eye-catching over the years. He played a significant role in helping England reach the semi-final of the World Cup.

Ending months of speculation, Ole Gunnar Solskjær's Manchester United finally secured the signature of their elusive target.

By spending £80 million, Maguire has eclipsed the money that was forked out by Liverpool to sign Virgil van Dijk from Southampton.

Reports suggest that since a motivational phone-call by the then-manager Sir Alex Ferguson, a 17-year old Maguire wished to join United. He has signed a six-year deal running through to 2025.